Tapestry
by StarTrekFanWriter
Summary: Chapter 27: The Turbolift Scene. Nyota/Spock pairing, Pike, and BAMF Number One, Kirk, Sarek, Amanda, libertarian smugglers, hyper-telepathic Vulcans.
1. The Spider and Fly

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to beta Note from the Classroom.

**Prologue: The Spider & The Fly**

The blackness of space spilled out beyond the tiny port hole. For a moment Ayel let himself be lost in it. Let his mind still. His heart calm. He could not let anything be left to chance.

From behind him came the voice of the guard. "Nero will see you now."

Turning smartly on his heels, Ayel made his way through the now-open doorway. He did not acknowledge the guards. He kept his mind focused and his eyes straight ahead.

He found Nero sitting contemplating the same blackness that had just cooled his own thoughts.

"It's almost time," Nero said, not turning to face Ayel.

"It is. That is why I have come to speak with you."

Nero spun in his chair. "Explain."

In his hand Nero held the same spear he'd used to run through Captain Robau's heart so long ago. His fingers fidgeted nervously on the long shaft. There was a reasonable chance that Ayel would face the same fate as Captain Robau every time he entered the room. Nero was quite mad. But he was a useful sort of mad. He was charismatic and inventive. Traits that Ayel did not have. He could never have successfully led the Narada's crew for so long.

What Ayel did have was a calculating mind and the same goal as Nero, though his motivations might be different. Nero wanted revenge for the death of his wife, as though a single Vulcan or even Vulcan itself was responsible for the vagaries of fate. Ayel just wanted to assure that his race was the dominant sentient species in the galaxy. Never again would Romulans be pushed to the brink of extinction.

"My Captain," said Ayel with a bow. "When we acquire the red matter -"

"And Spock!" hissed Nero.

Ayel did not allow the annoyance he felt with Nero's obsession to show. "-and Spock, it would be wise to test our drill and launching mechanism before we attack our first target."

The hand not holding the spear clenched on the arm rest of his command chair. Looking down, Nero said, "Yes. Yes. Nothing must be left to chance."

"Exactly." Licking his lips Ayel said, "I have found the perfect target. Delta-A 930; it is seismically active, at the edge of Romulan space, and light years from any sentient habitation. If our activities are noticed they will be interpreted as a natural event."

"Delta-A 930 is laced with latinum mines," spat Nero.

Ayel tilted his head and smiled. "The presence of latinum on Delta-A 930 will not be discovered for another fifty years."

Nero fingered the hilt of his spear. "It will never be discovered. We will destroy it when we test the red matter. As we agreed...nothing must be left to chance."

Ayel blinked in surprise. Destruction was unnecessary. The quantity of red matter needed to destroy Vulcan could easily be calculated. And it would endanger the secrecy they had so carefully maintained all these long years. He swallowed. Stealing ships for parts, food and fuel was one thing. "That would be unwise. The destruction of an entire planet would be noticed...in time..."

Standing from his chair Nero banged his spear butt on the rough metal flooring plates. "By the time it is noticed it will be too late!"

Ayel stared at Nero. The captain tilted his head at him. If Ayel valued his life there would be no arguing now.

"Delta-A 930 will be destroyed as soon as we possess the red matter," said Ayel.

"And Spock..." said Nero in a low voice.

"And Ambassador Spock,"

x x x x

Standing up from his chair at the massive wooden table conference table, Golarth glared at the Federation members. His fellow Klingons rose with him. Federation Guards around the room lifted their phasers from their holsters. His men prepared to do the same but Golarth held out his arm. His men stilled. Had any raised so much as a finger, Golarth would have seen to it the finger and the arm attached to it were removed as well.

His bones ached, and his heart strained, but he spat on the Starfleet insignia emblazoned in the table surface as any young warrior would. Normally Golarth found his species' reputation as the mental laggards of the galaxy an advantage. It made it easier to outwit his enemies. Now it made him furious. He was too old for these games.

Eyeing the Tellurite, Vulcan, Human and Andorian delegates, Golarth let out a bellow. "You ask for talks, you ask for cooperation, I give you what we know of the disappearing vessels and you deride it as impossible!"

"We do not deride," said the Vulcan-bitch T'Quilloc. Her telepathic mind-raper mate was not allowed in these proceedings. Golarth had not requested the absence of the Gray Guard - there would have been no point. Novasch had already slipped into his skull. Which meant the Federation members had. They were keeping secrets from each other. This did not bode well.

T'Quilloc continued in calm, even tones. "We observe that it is highly unlikely that the mysterious disappearances of ships in the neutral zone is the work of an independent agent. Their technology is too sophisticated for -"

"Only a small group, bonded by honor, could keep their identity a secret for decades. This is not the work of a bloated bureaucracy!" Golarth hissed.

"That is your opinion, and we respect it greatly," said the human Admiral Barrett. "But the agents causing chaos in the Neutral Zone seemingly possess technology more advanced than any known sentient species. Their ships move too fast. They've been completely able to avoid our sensors. It is inconceivable that a group of renegades would have the resources to develop this advanced technology on their-"

"The Romulans at Epsilon 1235 did not let themselves be captured alive, and they all shared the same unusual tribal markings!" said Golarth.

"Coincidence," said an Andorian commander tilting his head. "Although I wouldn't be surprised if the Romulan Empire is behind this. They and the Cardiassians notably did not join us here."

T'Quilloc tilted her head. "Our intelligence on the Romulans and Cardassians informs us with 94.97% accuracy that they are not behind this mystery. Which leaves an unknown third party, a race we have not -"

"There is no mystery race," said Golarth. "I have given you your third party!" With a cry of rage he brought a fist down onto the conference table.

It was only cunning that kept Golarth alive among his kind - among them he was slightly enfeebled by age. He was not prepared for how strong he was among these weaker races. The table cracked and split right through the Starfleet insignia.

All the Andorians jumped to their feet. The humans, Vulcans, and Tellurites remained sitting-the Tellurites perhaps in fear.

"Escort our Klingon guests from the premises," said Admiral Barret.

"More glory for us," hissed Golarth's second in command Warloff.

Golarth snorted. But not in agreement. Death was honorable. But not in defeat.

**A/N:**  
I needed to catch readers up with what was going on in the Descartes Universe. I kind of like Golarth. He's sort of a tragic hero. His manners hide his intelligence, poor old Klingon man.

Nyota and Spock's circumstances will be revealed in the next chapter...which I'm publishing RIGHT NOW since I know people can't wait.

If you enjoyed, please leave a review.


	2. Fascinating Things

_**Disclaimer: Don't Own. Don't Profit.  
**__  
Special Thanks to Beta Notes from the Classroom. Check out her story "Once and Future" in my faves._

**Fascinating Things...**

Novasch's body trembled on the bench and his hands clenched in his lap. Although he was not at the meeting with his bond-mate T'Quilloc, he saw the table crack in front of her.

He was denied admittance to the meeting. He was a Vulcan, but a full telepath, unlike his mate. Every entrance to the Starfleet conference auditorium was guarded by cold machines that scanned for full telepathic powers such as his. Machines could not be influenced even by Gray Guardsmen. He could not reach her. He could not protect her. Nor could he read the thoughts and intentions of those around her. His perceptions were limited to her perceptions. And as a touch telepath, T'Quilloc's perceptions of her surroundings were limited to what she could see, hear, taste and touch.

His nostrils flared. T'Quilloc felt his distress through the bond. Though she was not a full telepath the link between bond-mates was special. She could always feel his emotional state and read his thoughts unless he purposely shielded them

Now she spoke into his mind. _Do not be concerned, k'diwa, I am safe. See? They lead Golarth away even now._

Novasch could see, but still his body trembled.

_Where are you, k'diwa?_ T'Quilloc asked in his mind. _It is cold, I feel wind the wind on you, but perhaps that slight warmth on your face is the sun?_

She was seeking to calm him, as she always did. Novasch couldn't show her a picture of where he was; he was two months away from his last cataract surgery. It had been a busy two months, and now his eyes were covered by gray mist once again and he could not see. Blindness was an occupational hazard.

_I am .375 kilometers from your location, on the Starfleet campus._ Novasch answered. That was too far. One of the rules of his occupation, and the only consolation, was that he was never to be separated from his bond-mate. She was his eyes and half his heart.

T'Quilloc felt his sorrow and anxiety. _ We are not separated. .375 kilometers is not so far. But_ _how did you get there without me, k'idwa?_

_I was able to navigate from our rooms by memory. And then I borrowed the eyes of a seagull._

_Ahhh...later when the meeting ends you will share that memory with me._ T'Quilloc said. Novasch felt his anger dissipating, overwhelmed by her happiness at anticipating that event.

"Novasch?"

His name was spoken out loud. He restrained his natural instinct to reach out and identify the speaker telepathically. Instead he turned his head in the direction of the voice. "Lieutenant Commander Patrick O'Hara?"

"Yeah, it's me." Novasch heard the Lieutenant Commander's footsteps approach the bench.

"T'Quilloc's at the talks on the Neutral Zone disappearances and they locked you out, didn't they?" said Patrick.

"The topic of the meeting is secret and -"

"Yeah, whatever, anyone with two neurons can put two and two together. I'm not divulging anything I've learned confidentially, by the way. I'm just voicing my supposition," Patrick said.

Taking a deep breath the human said, "You don't look so good."

Novasch tilted his head. He usually liked dealing with Patrick, but restraining his telepathy was always uncomfortable.

"Toshi and I have something that will cheer you up!" said Patrick, his voice increasing in tempo. "A gadget we're going to run through Starfleet's brand new quantum scanner. You were a computer science teacher...before...you like gadgets, don't you?"

Novasch did, in fact, like gadgets, and anything associated with Patrick and Toshi was bound to be fascinating.

_Go with him,_ T'Quilloc spoke into his mind. _Go with him. Go for both of us._

"You can, you know, relax, and use my eyes," said Patrick.

At the word relax all hesitation in Novasch vanished. Patrick knew what that word meant to Novasch. He gently narrowed the bond with his mate so her thoughts of the meeting would not reach Patrick, and then he let his mind slip into the human's. Through Patrick's eyes he saw his shoulders straighten. It was such a relief to not have to block himself.

"It's not a problem," said Patrick. "Toshi always said anyone can read exactly what I'm thinking on my face anyway."

Novasch felt acceptance and sadness. Patrick knew exactly what he was and what he did -

A vision of mangled Vulcan and Human bodies flashed past Novasch's eyes.

"Sorry, bad memories, Novasch," Patrick said. "I've been in the field. I know what the other side does...nothing you could do...come on, you deserve a break. And I think you'll love this."

Novasch nudged a little and saw an image of a silver sphere in a delicate brown palm of someone he'd seen in another's mind. In a half-Vulcan's mind.

"Hey, no peeking, Novasch! This is going to be a surprise," said Patrick taking his arm and pulling him gently upward.

The physical contact wasn't strictly necessary, but the human seemed to do it automatically. Novasch touched upon a memory in Patrick's mind. Ahhh...Physical guidance was provided to blind humans. Of course. Perfectly logical.

And then Patrick began to sing, "One hundred bottles of beer on the wall, one hundred bottles of beer. Take one down, pass it around, ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall."

Novasch blinked as Patrick led him down the path towards the subspace science building. Patrick was trying to keep him from discovering what the gadget was by singing an inane drinking song. If Vulcans could laugh, Novasch might have. He would not probe any more, simply out of respect for Patrick's inventiveness.

"Thought you'd like that," said Patrick. The human licked his lips and began to sing again. "Ninety-eight bottles of beer on the wall, ninety-eight bottles of beer..."

x x x x

"Novasch!" said Toshi. He shuffled quickly through the lab smiling and bowing. "It is so good to see you! Relax, relax, relax."

At those words Novasch slipped into Toshi's mind too. Novasch liked Patrick. But Toshi, his wife Yumi, Novasch and T'Quilloc were friends. Like Patrick, Toshi knew what Novasch did. Unlike Patrick, Toshi did not acknowledge it. He pushed it from his mind. Novasch was flooded with memories of T'Quilloc and himself drunk on hot chocolate in an onsen with Toshi and Yumi on a snowy night in the Sierra Nevadas. And then there was another image: Novasch linking the minds of Toshi and Yumi to their infant daughter Yuki. Joy radiated from Toshi at the memory. "She thought of her mother," said Toshi.

"Infants always think of their primary caregiver," said Novasch. It seemed to be true across species.

T'Quilloc and he were not allowed to have children yet. They'd lived the experience of parenthood through Yumi and Toshi.

"I remember feeling liked chopped liver when my kids were babies," said Patrick.

Novasch marveled at the expression. Humans were so fascinating. He forgot to block the sensation of fascination. Patrick and Toshi broke out in giggles, which caused the seratonin receptors in Novasch's mind to temporarily overflow.

"Novasch," said Toshi good naturedly. "Please don't hit us with your fascination!"

"It strips of us of our masculinity when you make us giggle," said Patrick wiping an eye. "Come on, Toshi, I promised Novasch we'd let him see the sphere!"

"Ahhh...the sphere," said Toshi hurrying to a large cylindrical device and pressing an access code he didn't bother to hide. "That is fascinating."

"It belongs to Cadet Nyota Uhura, does it not?" said Novasch.

"Awww..." said Patrick. "You got her name and everything!"

"No," Novasch said feeling Patrick's disappointment. "Your method of distraction was successful. I recognized her face and remembered her name from an encounter with Lieutenant Commander Spock. She is...somewhat like his bond-mate, is she not?"

Novasch felt Patrick and Toshi take sudden intakes of breath. Novasch froze, embarrassed. He'd committed a blunder and made his associates uncomfortable.

Patrick went and quickly closed the door to lab.

"We don't talk about that," said Toshi.

Novasch tilted his head confused.

"Their relationship is legit now," said Patrick. "He's off in the Fleet."

"But when it started...the timing was inconvenient," said Toshi. "There were problems."

Jumbled memories, and feelings of anger washed through both Toshi and Patrick. They liked Spock. He was their friend; they'd tried to protect him from someone. Novasch could probe, but he didn't. Instead he said, "I will not speak of it either."

Both men relaxed. Nodding, Toshi reached into the cylinder access portal and pulled out the silver globe Novasch had seen earlier. Cradling it in his hand as though it were something very fragile - though Novasch could feel it was not - Toshi looked up at him and smiled.

"Gives me butterflies in my stomach just looking at it," said Patrick.

Novasch tilted his head. Both of the two human scientists had feelings in their stomachs akin to the fluttering of butterflies. He barely managed to restrain his fascination.

Patrick almost laughed. He looked at Novasch and raised a hand in mock warning. Novasch found the familiarity delightful.

"She wouldn't let us near it until we got access to the quantum scanner," Patrick said.

"Before we got the scanner we were going to take it apart," said Toshi.

Patrick shook his head sadly in incomprehension. "It has sentimental value to her."

"This is the only time we could get the scanner for unofficial purposes," said Toshi. "She's on spring break right now, visiting her family in Africa. She really wanted to be here."

A few thoughts unrelated to the sphere buzzed through Toshi and Patrick's minds like unruly bees. She'll graduate soon. She'll be able to join the fleet…maybe even get the same posting as Spock.

Novasch did not comment. It was typical of humans to be easily distracted.

Patrick's focus returned first. "We promised to show her all the data, and promised if we could get a paper out of this piece of junk we'd let her in on it, too."

"Piece of junk?" said Novasch confused by the human's expression.

"Oh," said Toshi. "It is a holographic device. It plays a Romulan version of the epic poem the_ T'Kai Lamana Ita_."

"The technology is amazing," said Patrick. "But the acting and production values -"

"Leave something to be desired," said Toshi before Patrick could finish with a less polite description.

"_Begin,_" said Toshi in Romulan. The sphere floated up from his hands and expanded. Triangles with pictures and text hovered around it in mid air. Toshi touched one of the triangles and a scene began to play in three dimensions. The actors had a strange, not terribly appealing, style. Their motions seemed highly over dramatic. In the background a curtain fell off a window.

"I don't believe that was supposed to happen," said Patrick.

Novasch nodded. The hover ability was interesting, but he happened to know the Vulcan Science Academy had similar devices. Still it would be interesting to see how this differed from the Vulcan technology.

"There is something else this can do," said Toshi. "Miss Uhura just discovered it."

"_Come alive!_" Patrick said in Romulan.

Suddenly the actors expanded to life size. One actress stood directly in front of Novasch.

"Hurry, touch her, Novasch, before the power drains out!" said Patrick.

Novasch put a finger towards the actress's shoulder, expecting it to pass through the hologram. Instead he felt skin, soft, pliant and as hot as his own. Novasch restrained a gasp of surprise. There was nothing like this at the Vulcan Science Academy.

The image flickered, disappeared and the sphere dropped into Toshi's waiting hands.

"It seems to have a weak battery," he said. "Miss Uhura discovered it does recharge with exposure to sun light."

"Where did this come from?" said Novasch trying to remain calm.

Patrick shrugged. "It's weird; she said her brother picked it up off an asteroid or something."

"The publishing date is..." Toshi tilted his head, "very odd. According to the notes, this drama was created twenty years in the future..."

"Although when we tested the circuitry, it registered as one-hundred and five years old," said Patrick.

"If someone from the future came back to our time," said Toshi, "and this was already old to them, that could explain the strange production date and scanner date."

"Or our original scanners are getting fried by something inside the thing. We'll find out soon enough," said Patrick. "These quantum scanners tell everything. We'll be able to create a duplicate that's indistinguishable from the original when we're done."

Novasch's mind was whirling. If this could be a device from the future. A Romulan device from the future...

He took a deep breath to calm himself.

"Yes! _Omoshiroi desu ne_," said Toshi feeling his mood but not fully comprehending it.

"Hai," said Novasch in Toshi's native language. "_Omoshiroi_...What does Miss Nyota Uhura's brother do?"

Patrick chuckled. "She won't tell us. Just jokes that he is a pirate."

Blocking the rising urgency he felt, Novasch filled Patrick and Toshi's minds with innocent curiosity. "Where in Africa is her family from?" he asked.

"Outside of Nairobi," said Toshi poking at the sphere as though it were a small animal.

Novasch gazed through Patrick and Toshi's eyes at the extinguished sphere. "Fascinating."

**A/N:**

Yes! Spock will be an instructor back at the Academy by the end of this! (Much to his chagrin!) Next chapter is Nyota, do not fear…well, except that Novasch may be after her now. She _is_ going to see her Spock in this story. Unlike the Vulcan.

Two chapters w/o Spock or Nyota - if that doesn't get me in trouble nothing will. Anyone still reading? If so, please leave a review! They encourage me to keep going.


	3. The Tapestry

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to beta Notes from the Classroom. Check out her newest story, "Once and Future." It's romantic, funny, and exciting…really, what more can you ask for? It's in my faves.

**The Tapestry**

The new M'Benga wing of the National Museum in Nairobi was beautiful. White marble floors, white walls, and northern light pouring in from skylights overhead set the paintings and sculptures off perfectly. The dark heavy wooden benches gave just the right weight to the room. There solid earthiness was the only thing that reminded Nyota she was on Earth, not floating in the clouds.

"This," said Nyota's brother Jabari gesturing to a tapestry constructed of polished lids from circular tins held together with green copper wire, "Is a pre-Great Mistake piece by El Anatsui."

Nyota looked at her brother. Jabari was taller than Spock and broader shouldered. A scar was etched into the dark skin of his shaved scalp - she was afraid to ask how he'd gotten it. Right now as he looked at the tapestry his mouth was curled in a soft smile and his eyes were alight. It was the same look her roommate Gaila had when she solved a particularly challenging programming puzzle.

Nyota turned her gaze to the tapestry. It stretched from floor to ceiling. Some of the tins lids were smooth, others had ridges, some looked nearly gold in appearance, others silver. There was no overarching pattern to the piece, but within the randomness the artist had used the different textures and colors to create forms that reminded Nyota of undulating waves.

"It's beyond priceless," Jabari said. "But not because of the materials-because of the hands and mind that formed it."

He took a step back, put his hands on his hips and licked his lips, obviously enraptured. Usually Jabari's enthusiasm for art was contagious, but right now Nyota's mind was elsewhere.

"You're quiet today," he said, tearing his eyes away from the gleaming metal in front of him.

Biting her bottom lip, Nyota looked at the ground. Her parents were gone this break, and Jabari had made it a point to be earthside so they would have some "brother-sister bonding time." It was great to see him. Despite the fact that they ripped into each other constantly, he was probably the person she loved second most in all the universe. But...

"I miss Spock," she said, and then winced. This was not what he wanted to hear.

Her brother's brow furrowed a bit. He become uneasy whenever she talked about Spock - even though she suspected he respected and even _liked_ Spock. When she confronted him about it he'd said, "I can't like him." And then using his nickname for Spock that always infuriated Nyota he'd explained, "If Mad Dog ever breaks your heart I have to be prepared to hunt him down and kill him." Which was a sort of Neanderthalish joke, but sweet nonetheless.

Scratching the side of his head as he always did when he was nervous, he looked at the ground. The only jewelry he wore, a silver ring given to him by Rhinnea, his Romulan engineer glinted dully in the light. Nyota wondered if she still was part of his crew.

Clearing his throat Jabari said, "His tour will be over in a few months, and you'll be graduating. You should be happy."

He was trying, however awkwardly, to empathize and be nice. Nyota was touched.

"Come on, there is something else I want you to see!" Jabari said. Grabbing her shoulders, he steered her towards the back of the gallery.

Letting herself be pushed along, Nyota said, "I know I'll see him soon. But I haven't seen him since last summer." It had been wonderful - even though they still hadn't been able to bond. Spock was convinced the only healer who should touch her mind-meld wounded mind was T'Quill, and she was busy with business in the outer ring. Spock had come to see Nyota in Africa. They hadn't hid their relationship from her parents.

"It's been nearly a year now." And lately it had been eating at her. She always missed him. But the cold calculating part of her mind could appreciate how much easier it was to focus on her studies while Spock was in the Fleet. When she wasn't worried about him getting himself killed.

But lately...she wanted to see Spock so badly it was almost painful, wanted his hands on her temples and his teeth at her collar bone. She wanted to sink her nails into his back until her fingernails were slick and green.

A ripple of heat went through Nyota's body. She took a deep breath that came out like a sigh. Maybe it was the vacation. When her mind was more occupied, it was easier to forget what she was missing. Yes, that was it. And the fact that even though he was light years away he was almost in reach...

Still steering her by the shoulders, Jabari said, "Don't worry. It will be over before you know it."

They cleared a partition and the back wall of the gallery came into view. It was made of rectangular white stones of various sizes. One large stone went across the entire top of the wall.

"Look," said Jabari.

"M'Benga Wing," Nyota read.

"No, no, no. We have to get closer," said Jabari. He dropped his hands from her shoulders, moved along beside her and pulled her by the arm. "There!" he said pointing.

Nyota followed his finger. On the stones were the names of the various benefactors of the gallery. "Josef and Esther Friedmann," Nyota read. "I think Spock's family knows them..."

Jabari coughed. "Hmmm...Yeah, they're interesting people. Did business with his wife once, had some interesting discussions with Josef about theology." Nyota blinked. Her brother had done business with the Friedmanns?

Before she could process that thought, Jabari coughed again. "Don't compare me to a couple who owns planets. Look underneath that at the smaller stone."

Nyota leaned down and squinted at a much smaller stone, "Jabari Uhura."

She looked up at her brother. He was smiling from ear to ear. "I'm so legit."

Nyota knew how he had contributed to this gallery. The museum had funded much of this wing by doing the politically unsavory act of selling pieces of art to off-worlders, primarily Ferrengi. Her brother had been the middleman in the selling of Earth's cultural heritage...and that was just the legitimate arm of his business. The other arm...She bit back her usual haranguing. "That's great, big brother. I guess you are."

Jabari's face turned serious. "Nah, I don't kid myself. I'm too much of an adrenaline junky." He shrugged and gave a thin smile.

x x x

Ny was hunched over her coffee.

Jabari tapped his spoon on the diner table in aggravation. She hadn't even given him shit when he'd said he was legit. That was not like her at all. Quite frankly, he found it somewhat worrisome.

"Okay," he said, taking a deep breath and pausing the spoon. "Out with it. What's wrong."

"What?" She looked up at him took a breath and then rolled her eyes. "It's stupid." She shook her head. "But I miss Spock."

Jabari stopped tapping his spoon. He'd actually forsaken some opportunities to come back to Earth and see his sister. She would be graduating soon - then she'd be deployed. Who knew when he'd see her again? But apparently all she could think of was Spock. It wasn't precisely flattering. And she was generally so much more sensible.

Ny put her head back in her hands and dug her nails into her hair. "Argh! I'm so frustrated! At myself for being such a moon bat...At the universe for conspiring to make him so close and so far at the same time." Shaking her now-mussed hair, she lifted her head, picked up her coffee, stared into it, and then put the coffee back down again.

What was the right thing to say here? Tapping the spoon again, Jabari said, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"He is...the Farragut...is going to be on Letellia 12 for refueling and repairs for four whole days! He's even got some shore leave."

Jabari stopped tapping the spoon. "Letellia 12? When?"

"Now!" Waving a hand in the air she said, "Or...in a few hours. But there are no commercial ships going there. It's in the middle of nowhere, just barely in Federation space. There's nothing there!" She shrugged. "Well, gambling and prostitution, but apparently the planets so ugly that even those attractions don't bring in the tourists."

Jabari blinked. The business opportunity he had forsaken now dangled in front of him like low hanging fruit. There was actually _someone_ on Litellia 12. Or rather there had been someone: C'Tleaneth, heir to the company that made the deep water dilithium extractors used on Litellia 12's watery surface, had just passed away under mysterious circumstances. Unfortunately for his family, C'Tleaneth had been a gambling addict. Now his family was planning to auction off his belongings rather hastily. Among those belongings was an art collection.

As captain of his own small but very respectable starship, Jabari had become used to making quick decisions. "How soon can you be ready to leave?"

Ny blinked at him. She knew how expensive an expedition to an outpost to Letellia 12 would be, warp travel was expensive, especially in private ships. Narrowing her eyes she said, "What business do you have there?"

"It's legal." Shrugging, he added, "Opportunistic but legal."

Ny tapped a finger on the table for a moment and then said, "Can you give me an hour and a half?"

Jabari did the math in his head. "How about 45 minutes?"

Nyota dumped some credits on the table. "Done," she said, preparing to stand up.

Jabari grabbed her arm. "There is one condition," he said.

x x x x

Forty-five minutes later Ny was with him at the transporter station closest to his parents' house. It was packed.

Jabari preferred to beam directly to his ship without standing in line, but he was trying to keep up his 'legit' reputation, at least for a while. Transporting from unauthorized locations was not a crime, only a civil offense, but still...

He clenched his jaw and looked at the clock on his comm. "My crew has booked a time to leave space dock twenty minutes from now."

"We'll make it," Ny said adjusting a small bag on her shoulder. "The line is moving quickly."

Jabari switched his weight from one leg to another. "I hate being cattle."

"It's important for safety and security reasons to limit transporter points," said Ny.

"I hate being cattle," said Jabari.

"But you sure like BS," said Ny.

Jabari glared at her, but almost grinned. That was his little sister.

It felt like an hour to Jabari, but when he checked his clock he noticed it had only taken them seventeen minutes to reach the customs agents who scanned their retinas, noted their ID's and Jabari's boat number. From behind him Jabari heard uneasy murmurings from the crowd. Apparently he wasn't the only passenger who had gotten edgy. No one liked being cattle.

"Take the two pads on the right," said the agent. "We'll give your boat permission to beam you up."

"Thank you," said Jabari. He and Ny stepped up onto the transporter pads and turned to face the transporter agents. A motion in the direction they had just come caught his eye. About fifty meters down the hall were a group of white haired bipedal beings. They walked stiffly, and the crowd made way for them. Jabari blinked and felt himself go slightly cold. "The Gray Guard," he said.

"Where?" he heard Ny say.

"What are they doing here?" Jabari said to no one in particular. Light suddenly enveloped him. The Gray Guard vanished and he was staring into the black fathomless eyes of his Romulan engineer.

**A/N:**

Novasch/T'Quilloc's friendship with Toshi/Yumi is detailed in "The Devil Likes Chocolate". Josef & Esther are in "The Native". Jabari/Rhin are in Descartes in the African chapters, and Jabari has popped up to aggravate Nyota in "The Vulcan" and "How the Mighty Have Fallen". None of these stories are required reading for understanding this story.

Enjoy this chapter? Please leave a review!


	4. No Room for Oversight

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

**Special thanks to Beta Notes from the Classroom.**

**No Room for Oversight**

In the Farragut's science lab Spock sat in front of a portable computer monitor. Bolting out a quick response to Professor Toshi Matsumura regarding a recent change to the Kobayashi Maru, his attention was caught by an incoming message. Noting which Starfleet office the new email came from, he clicked his screen to read it immediately. He blinked. That was not like him. Normally he did not let his attention be distracted so easily. But since he was already staring at the new email...he decided it was only logical to read it.

By the time he'd finished, Spock's hands were balled in fists on his lap. He stared at the screen for three minutes and forty-seven seconds. And then he quickly pulled the personal encryption device Nyota had given him from his pocket. There was only one other like it in existence and it belonged to her. Plugging the device into the monitor, he activated the encryption mode, hit the forward button, fired off a quick sentence expressing how he felt about Starfleet's decision and hit send.

He stared at the screen. It would be much better if Nyota were here. He was very poor at expressing his internal emotional state in words. If she were here...

His fists unclenched and he ran his hands over his thighs. If she were here... Despite the relative chill of the ship, he felt himself go hot. It had been too long since he'd touched Nyota's cool skin. A huff of air came out of his chest so loudly it startled him.

He tilted his head. Such thoughts were completely inexcusable during working hours. Disengaging the encryption device, he closed the computer monitor with quick movements. A crack sounded in his ears. He looked down at the top of the computer. He'd cracked the casing. Odd.

"How old are you, Spock?" said a familiar voice behind him.

Spock turned to see Number One standing in the doorway of the lab.

"28 years and 10 months and 8 days," Spock said.

Coming over to stand behind him, Number One gazed down at the cracked casing. "All those years and you don't know your own strength."

Raising an eyebrow she said, "Report to the Captain's ready room in fifteen minutes." Turning quickly she left Spock alone.

He stared down at the broken computer. Reviewing his sleep and meditation schedule from the past week, he tilted his head. He had engaged in adequate amounts of both activities. Perhaps the casing was flawed?

He picked up the computer and flipped it in his hands. Had he finished his email to Toshi?

x x x

Number One and Captain Pike sat at the end of the conference table in the Captain's ready room.

Pike gestured with his hand towards a chair. "Have a seat, Spock."

As Spock sat down, Pike said, "You've probably heard the rumors, but it's official. The Enterprise will be ready to launch in June."

Spock nodded. He knew. Nyota reminded him of it in nearly every subspace conversation. It was her unqualified desire to be assigned to the Enterprise. Spock had misgivings about leaving Pike and Number One.

"Well, what you may not know is that I've been selected to be her captain," Pike said with a tight smile.

Spock sat up a little straighter. "No, I did not." Nor had he known Pike's name was in the list of candidates. What was the proper thing to say in such a situation? "I believe, sir, I should offer you my congratulations."

"Thanks, Spock. I'm taking Number One with me as my first mate. Are you coming with us?"

Spock blinked.

"Yes, Spock, that is an offer," Number One said helpfully.

Both of Spock's eyebrows shot up. It was illogical to presume that the universe arranged events in one's favor and yet...To serve on the Enterprise, alongside Captain Pike, Number One and _possibly_ Nyota.

Pike's brow furrowed at the same time his lips turned upward. "Spock, are you smiling?"

"I believe that's a yes, Sir," said Number One.

Spock tilted his head. His lips were, indeed slightly quirked up. He found he did not care. "I would be honored," he said.

"Good," said Pike, "And you're going to celebrate with Number One and me. I've taken the liberty of extending your shore leave on Litellia 12 to the full four days."

"Sir," said Spock feeling his lips fall. Although he had planned to take some shore leave on Litellia 12 so he could have some uninterrupted subspace time with Nyota, the prospect of a full four days on the cold, wet planet was unappealing to him.

Steepling his hands Pike said, "Come down, have a few drinks with us, then use the rest of the time to meditate if that's what you want. You need a break, Spock."

Spock's mouth opened but before he had a chance to formulate a response Pike said, "Don't argue. You need a break, Spock. I just saw you smile."

x x x x

Nyota materialized on a transporter in a small room, no larger than her mother's walk in closet. Her eyes immediately focused on the woman operating the transporter. She had deep black eyes and a slightly greenish cast to her skin. From beneath loosely pulled back black hair peaked pointed ears. Nyota blinked. At last she was meeting Rhinnea. There was an unfinished tattoo on Rhinnea's undeniably beautiful face. Nyota recognized the design immediately as a mourning marking, but Romulans didn't tattoo mourning markings on their faces. They used a deep purple pigment that washed away in approximately thirty four days.

The Romulan woman's eyes flicked only briefly to Nyota, and then they were on her brother. "Come, we must strap in," she said. "We are preparing to leave dock now."

Nyota stood frozen at the woman's words. Her accent was like nothing she'd ever heard.

"Ny, move it," said her brother.

Nyota snapped out of it and noticed Jabari was motioning for her to go through a door Rhinnea was already exiting. She followed the Romulan, the words of Jabari's one condition echoing in her mind: "You will not ask Rhin any questions about where she's from, what she's been through, or how she got on my boat. If you do, I swear, I'll drop you off at the next freighter depot."

Abiding by the condition was going to be harder than she thought.

Exiting the transporter room, they turned down a short hallway and three steps later were in what might have been referred to as a bridge. It reminded Nyota of an overly large cockpit. Rhin snapped herself into a seat at a blinking console, Jabari pushed Nyota, still gripping her bag, into a seat opposite Rhin and moved to the front to sit next to his Ferrengi co-pilot.

The Ferrengi turned and gave Nyota a toothy smile. "Hi, Ny."

Grinning back, Nyota said, "Hi, Kanel."

From a speaker came a calm cool voice, "_Equus,_ docking bay moorings are disengaged." The voice cracked a bit, "Have fun on Risa you guys, wish I was going, too."

"What?" said Nyota.

"Maybe next time," said Jabari with a laugh hitting a button. The speaker went silent.

"Kanel, prepare for warp," said Jabari. "Head towards Risa."

"Aye, Captain," said Kanel.

"Wait, we are not going to Risa!" said Nyota unbuckling her seat belt.

Jabari turned in her direction. "Of course we're not going to Risa. We're just going in that direction...until we hit the Risan Nebula when we'll hang a sharp right and head towards Litellia 12."

"What?" said Nyota.

"Prepare to enter warp," said Kanel.

Nyota's head was pushed back hard against her seat and the stars blurred. Her mouth kept going. "What's with the elaborate Risan ruse then, Jabari? So help me, if this trip isn't on the level..."

"Relax," said Kanel, turning back towards her. "We always say we're going some place other than where we're really going."

"It's a private vessel," said Jabari. "We're allowed to change our minds."

"What? Why would you?" asked Nyota.

"Because it's no one else's business," said Jabari.

Nyota's eyes got wide. Her heart sank. What had happened to him? Was he going mad? "Jabari," she said softly. "You're being paranoid."

"I am not paranoid," Jabari said turning back to his controls, "I am meticulous." He began surveying the blinking lights at his console and asking terse questions to Kanel and Rhin.

With the thrust of initial acceleration gone, Nyoto looked down at the console in front of her. She had a monitor and - ah, a jack for her encryption device. She pulled out the tiny rectangle, slid it into position, entered some access codes and prepared to download her email. The screen remained black.

"No subspace access?" Nyota asked hitting a random key in frustration. She could understand not allowing visual and audio, but email?

"We have access, but it's slow while we're in warp," said Jabari. "Uses too much power to keep it at max sending and receiving."

Rhin spoke. "We have augmented the engines to go much faster than the original design intended. We have to make some sacrifices."

"You'll feel the gravity rotators start to slow in a bit," said Jabari.

As he said it, Nyota noticed she did indeed feel lighter.

"What's so important?" Jabari asked.

"I wanted to let Spock know I was coming," Nyota said. "I didn't get a chance before I left."

"Spock?" said Rhin her fingers pausing on the panel in front of her.

"Mad Dog," said Jabari.

Rhin tilted her head, eyes on Nyota. "Is Spock a common name...among Vulcans?"

Nyota looked across at the other woman. As a Romulan Rhin would be stronger than most human males and posses all the strengths of a Vulcan mind. But there was something about the way she carried herself. Nyota couldn't put her finger on it, but for some reason she felt as though the woman across from her was very fragile. When Nyota answered, she spoke more softly than she normally would have. "It is not uncommon."

"I think there is an Ambassador Spock," said Rhin.

Jabari coughed. Nyota looked over at her brother. His eyes were on Rhin. They were softer than she'd ever seen them. If Rhin hadn't been there Nyota might have been tempted to say, "Aha, gotcha!" Instead she said, "There may be an Ambassador Spock. I'm not familiar with the members of the Vulcan Diplomatic Corps."

"Never mind. I am mistaken," said Rhin turning her eyes back to the console in front of her.

Nyota's monitor started to chirp. The first messages began to come in. Nothing that required her encryption device at first. Some messages from Gaila, some from the Xenolinguistics club. She looked down at her monitor, there were other messages still loading. She closed her eyes and leaned back into her seat in the hopes that she could get a little sleep.

x x x

They were thirty minutes from Litella 12. Kanel switched the ship's name and registration in preparation for approach. Ever since Jabari's disagreement in Nairobi with Cessnia and her associates in the Orion syndicate, they took extra precautions. So far they hadn't had any trouble, but they flew under no fewer than seven identities - just in case. He looked back behind him. Nyota was awake again, reading something at her monitor. She made a soft huff that sounded like disapproval or a laugh.

Jabari stuck his head in from the hall and looked at his sister. "You probably didn't think to bring a raincoat, did you?"

"I thought of it," Nyota said in a pointed voice. "I didn't have time to run out and buy one." She hit a few keys in rapid succession. "I still need to send a message to Spock; access has been so slow -"

"Leave it," said Jabari. "We don't have much time. We'll go into supplies and see if Tan and Denil can't find you a rain coat. You can send him a message to his comm at standard dimensional frequencies when we approach the planet. He'll be so shocked to realize you're nearby he might just raise an eyebrow."

Nyota grinned. Unsnapping her seat belt quickly, she followed her brother down the hall. Kanel heard her laugh and say, "Big Brother, I think he might actually raise two eyebrows."

Kanel watched them go. Now that the bridge was clear it was a good a time as any to have a stretch. Unsnapping his belt and standing put him right in front of Nyota's console. He blinked; it was still on. And there was an encryption device plugged in. He stretched his arms and looked idly at the screen.

A message from Spock. Probably romantic in nature. He really shouldn't look.

He did anyway. Only the first line of the message was from Mad Dog. It said simply, "_This is illogical._" Kanel scratched an ear. That is what passed for romance among Vulcans? Not too surprising, actually...The next part of the message was forwarded from the Publishing Authorization Department of Starfleet.

It was said that Ferrengis could find latinum with their eyes closed, ears plugged, and noses gripped in a delnix clip. Kanel had never really believed it. Yet oddly, the word 'latinum' jumped up at him from the screen.

_"Lieutenant Commander Spock,_

_We regret to inform you, despite the significance of the organelles in the single celled organisms discovered on Delta-A 930, the preponderance of newly exposed latinum veins, and discovery of water on the planet's surface, the department has decided to disapprove the submission of your paper to the Journal of Interstellar..."_

Kanel hit a few buttons on the monitor very quickly and then glanced up at Rhin. She was giving him a disapproving look. From the hall he heard quick footsteps. Kanel hurried into his seat. When Nyota entered the cockpit he gave her a wide smile.

She looked quickly to her encryption device and back at him. Giving him a weak smile, she disengaged the device and headed down the hallway.

**A/N: **Love hearing from everyone - if you read and enjoyed, pls leave a review.


	5. Seeking

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to beta Notes from the Classroom. Check out her latest story "The Complexity of Human Pranks" in my favorites.

**Seeking**

"This is the smallest you've got?" Ny asked.

Jabari laughed. "Well, it's no fashion show." The hood of the rain coat fell all the way down to the middle of Ny's nose. The hem of the orange coat fell just below her knees. Her calves clad in tight black trousers looked ridiculously thin in comparison to the large garment.

He remembered Ny dressing up in their father's Starfleet uniform when she was eight and having nearly the same silhouette. For a moment they were kids again-just up to some bit of mischief while their parents weren't looking.

Ny threw back the hood and gave him a triumphant smile. "You're soft on your engineer."

Did she have such a big mouth when she was eight?

"Not that I blame you," she said. "It seems she's brilliant, and even I can appreciate that she's gorgeous."

Jabari folded his arms across his chest.

"What's her story? Where is she from? Why aren't you..." She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "You said I can't ask Rhin questions, but you never said I couldn't ask you."

"I know better than to ask for her story, Ny," Jabari said.

When you lived in close quarters you learned things about people...He turned his eyes away and exhaled softly. His vision momentarily clouded with thoughts of the scars he sometimes caught glimpses of when Rhin rolled up her sleeves, the way she woke up screaming from nightmares, the way she jumped at an accidental touch -

"If she wants to tell me, she will," he added hoping that would be the end of it.

Ny adjusted the overly large coat on her thin shoulders. "Oh, come on, you've got to be just a little bit curious..."

And suddenly Jabari found himself pissed. "...and for the rest of your question," he said, "maybe I'm just too smart to get involved with someone who works for me."

The comment hit home. Nyota's jaw tightened and her eyes narrowed. "You mean maybe she's just too smart to get involved with a guy like you?"

He'd dealt a low blow, and it was a stupid childish fight. "Could be that too," Jabari said, hoping Ny would recognize the olive branch. "Come on, let's go strap in for landing."

x x x x

The bar was like the rest of Litella 12's only city: dark, wet, and only slightly warmer than outside. Spock's nostrils flared at a scent that reminded him of his uncle's retriever after a plunge into a murky pond. There was sound some might even have described as 'music.' Decibel levels far too high to be comfortable reverberated throughout the room. Booths and a bar proper surrounded a pit packed with various hominids all gyrating more-or-less in time with the beat.

Squinting his eyes, Spock caught a faint shimmer around the booths, almost like the film of a soap bubble - silencing barriers. He breathed a sigh of relief. The evening might be painful figuratively, but there was a chance Spock's eardrums would be spared from tinnitus.

Pushing back the hood of his Starfleet issued slicker, he cast a glance over at Pike and Number One. Pike was running his hands through his short hair, now soaked around the edges. Catching Spock's eye, Pike shouted close to Spock's ear, "I hear this is the best place on this waterlogged hole to get a drink. Find a booth with Number One. I'll get the first round and catch up with you."

Spock turned to see Number One had already taken off her slicker and slung it over her shoulder. She was wearing more makeup than she ever did aboard ship and a startling pink bobbed wig. Winking at him she said, "Come on, big guy. Don't worry, I'll protect you." Spock was not unfamiliar with the mannerisms that constituted flirting among humans. Such mannerisms from Number One did not disturb him. He stared at her dark pink lips. The human application of lipstick was fascinating. The color mimicked the darker color of more intimate anatomy and...

Giving him a sharp shove, Number One leaned towards his ear. "Move it, Lieutenant-Commander!"

Raising an eyebrow, Spock let her push him towards the booths. They found one just barely large enough for three people in a far corner. Spock slid in first and immediately looked for the sound barrier controls. Number One slid in across from him.

The barrier went up and the music beyond the booth all but disappeared. Spock looked up at Number One. She was gazing out at the dance floor. Following her eyes, Spock found himself mesmerized. The motions of the dancers were thinly veiled stylizations of the mating act. Normally, Spock viewed such displays with the detached gaze of a xenoanthropologist, but tonight he felt himself growing physically hot. He was simultaneously attracted and repulsed by the scene in front of him.

A swathe of chocolate skin and long shining black hair caught his eye. From behind, Spock could almost mistake the body for that of his bond-mate. He felt a wave of heat and longing. He sat up straighter in his seat. The object of his attentions turned and smiled. Spock drummed his fingers on the table in front of him, his vision going slightly green. It was not Nyota. Just an imposter.

"You do like chocolate, don't you, Spock?" said Number One.

At Number One's voice, Spock ripped his eyes from the dance pit. She was the one person on the ship with whom Spock had shared details of his and Nyota's relationship - and that had been inadvertently under the influence of a chocolate concoction.

He wanted to tip the table over in Number One's direction. He did not like 'chocolate.' He liked Nyota. How dare Number One make light of the depth of their relationship? He raised an eyebrow in Number One's direction but she wasn't paying attention.

"I wonder if she was smiling at just you or both of us." Number One smiled wide at the dancer. "Oooo...definitely both of us." Turning her eyes to Spock she said, "You know, I like chocolate, too."

Spock did know that Number One found darker skinned human females sexually appealing. Specifically, she found Nyota appealing. Perhaps she had forgotten that her revelation of the fact had prompted Spock to throw her out a door?

"At ease, Lieutenant Commander."

Spock stared at her.

"I said, at ease, Lieutenant Commander."

He was so far what he needed to be at ease.

At that moment Spock's comm rang. An escape. Spock pulled the device from his pocket. Flipping it open, he fully expected to see the comm ID of the Farragut's acting science officer. Instead, both his eyebrows rose. A prank? Clicking to accept, Spock said, "Who is this?"

A familiar voice met his ear. "Spock, it's me."

Spock was familiar with the expression, "I thought I had to be dreaming," but until that moment he hadn't fully comprehended it. How did one determine conclusively that one was not in a dream? If it were a dream, would indulging himself within its confines be detrimental? "Nyota?" he said.

"Nyota?" said Number One.

"It's me, Spock," said the possible dream Nyota. "I'm in orbit above Litella 12. Where are you?"

"She's here? How did she get to this soaked sponge of a planet? There aren't commercial flights," said Number One, drawing the obvious conclusion from the fact that Nyota had called him without the aid of subspace.

"Who are you with?" said Nyota. "Can you get away?"

"I do not know," said Spock, looking up at the Farragut's first officer. Across the room he saw Pike's graying head of hair approaching the booth.

"Well?" said Number One. "What are you doing? If she's here, you've got to go." Number One's eyes followed Spock's. "Don't worry," she said. "I'll take care of Pike."

Spock blinked. He had no doubt that Number One could 'take care' of Pike.

"Go," said Number One.

"Nyota," said Spock, "please stay on the line." It might be more logical to call her back, but he couldn't let even the phantom apparition of her voice go. "I will arrange a rendezvous point in approximately 2.5 minutes."

"I'll stay on the line," said Nyota. "Please hurry!"

Looking up at Number One, Spock said, "Thank you."

Number One shrugged. "Don't mention it." And then she winked. "Friends don't get in the way of friends getting laid."

Nyota's voice came over the comm. Her inflection indicated an emotion Spock wasn't able to identify. "Did she just say what I think she said?"

Spock felt his face go green. He looked across the table at Number One who was giving him a wide grin. It occurred to him that you could have boundless respect for another person, could trust them implicitly with your life, could even harbor a certain degree of affection towards them - and still want to throw them across the room.

x x x x

Nyota opened her eyes to swirls of light gradually subsiding. Dank air filled her nostrils. She was in a large, nearly empty transporter depot, harsh fluorescent lights high overhead buzzing unhappily. She lowered the line of her vision and there he was, her Spock.

The hood of his Starfleet slicker was pushed back; wet bangs were matted to his forehead. His eyes were heavy on hers, and then they flicked from side to side. She felt a tide of suspicion and protectiveness rise in her. Suspicion...protectiveness...where did that come from? Spock's eyes landed on her again and a feeling that was alien and familiar filled her. It was happening again. She was caught up in his emotions.

She beamed. Despite nearly a year apart and light years of distance they were still connected. The feeling grew with her smile.

"Spock," someone said from her left, and it jolted Nyota from their little world.

Spock blinked and looked to her side. "Jabari."

And then Jabari and his two Bajoran 'diggers' were walking off the transporter pad around her.

"This is Denil and Tan," said Jabari. "We're in town for an auction. We need to see what will be on the block tomorrow."

Spock tilted his head in their direction and then looked back to Nyota. The alien sensation flooded her again; she saw stars, or rather she saw the cosmos and the stars within it. And suddenly Spock was right next to her, a hand outstretched. How strange that he was so outwardly affectionate. But it had been such a long time - and the transporter depot was almost empty. She reached for his fingers and the sensations of lust, love, belonging and home almost knocked her from her feet.

She forgot that anyone else was there until her brother cleared his throat. "Well," he said. "I don't suppose you'd like to join us? The deceased was Bajoran, so most of the goods will be, too. Some are dated at over 10,000 years old. Should be fascinating..."

From the link between her fingers, Nyota felt impatience. That was odd. Normally, Spock would at least be intrigued.

"That's okay, Jabari," said Nyota. "We just might want to talk...and reconnect for a while."

The link flared with anticipation and lust. Nyota felt herself flush.

Scratching the back of his neck, her brother said, "Ummm...yeah. Ny, you've got your comm...we'll just be going..."

As soon as her brother and his companions were gone, Spock pressed his forehead against hers and whispered, "I trust your journey was uneventful?" The alien emotion flooded her again. "Let's get out of here," was all Nyota could manage to say.

Normally, after not seeing Spock in such a long time, Nyota would have wanted to talk for a bit first.

But when Spock pulled her into a waiting hover cab, gave curt instructions to the driver, and then immediately put up the privacy screen, she wasn't thinking of talking. When he dropped their entwined palms onto her lap and began stroking their joined hands up her thighs she was too turned on to be surprised. And when he asked, "Do you require anything after your journey? Sustenance?" she couldn't restrain herself; she put her lips against his and whispered into his mouth, "Just you."

The back of a hover cab would normally be much too public, even with a privacy screen, for either of them, but Spock leaned into the kiss hungrily. When they pulled their bodies apart for a breath, Nyota finally was surprised. Spock was smiling. A genuine smile. She didn't have much time to dwell on it, because an instant later he was taking her other hand in his, pushing both joined palms into her lap and pressing her against the corner of the backseat in another hungry kiss.

x x x

In the ready room of the Vulcan ship, the Lieutenant bowed before T'Quilloc. He discreetly kept from looking at Novasch. Not that it mattered. Novasch viewed the scene through his bond-mate's eyes anyway.

"Commander," the Lieutenant said to T'Quilloc, "Jabari Uhura's ship is not on Risa. As the Vulcan High Council commanded, we visually inspected all vessels of the same make and model docked at Risa's 16 ports in the event that they switched their registration. We have -"

_We have wasted seven hours of our time!_ Novasch meant the thoughts only to be received by T'Quilloc, but the Lieutenant's body jerked. In his ire, Novasch had projected more than he'd intended. He let his vision drop from T'Quilloc's eyes and did a light mental scan of all the personnel within projection distance. The whole ship was now aware of how he felt about the matter. He clenched his jaw and raised his shields.

"Dismissed," said T'Quilloc to the Lieutenant.

The door swooshed. Novasch felt T'Quilloc's fingers on his temples. She projected calm. Rationality. _It was logical to be thorough_, T'Quilloc whispered in his mind.

And it was, wasn't it? Or would it have been more logical to argue with the Council? There were so many things T'Quilloc and Novasch disagreed with lately...

But no, they never fought the Council - not after the decisions were made. They always followed orders. Always.

Pushing her forehead against Novasch's, T'Quilloc whispered, "Be at peace, k'diwa. Now that we have done our duty here, we are free to do as we originally intended. We will go to Litella 12. We will find Spock."

**A/N:**

In "How the Mighty Have Fallen" Nyota reflects that Spock hand never gone through Pon Farr, except for "maybe just a twinge".

#1 and Spock's conversation about Nyota is in "Vulcans Don't Share".

If you read and enjoyed, please leave a review.


	6. Arrival

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to Beta Notes from the classroom. Check out her latest "The Complexities of Human Pranks" in my favorites.

**Arrival**

Spock had traveled the galaxy a bit with his parents; business class hotels seemed to be the same everywhere. This one on Litella 12 was no different. The ceiling was white; the walls were beige. There was a nondescript print on the far wall that appeared to be of Andoria.

"I don't think I can move my legs." Nyota laughed. "That was..."

They were lying on their backs on the collapsed mattress of the bed. Their hands were the only parts of their bodies touching, they were much too hot for anything more - but through the light touch Spock was able to pick up the wave of Nyota's laughter. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensation.

"That was..." Nyota said again.

Although Spock normally found such human comments annoyingly vague, he didn't mind this time. He understood. "Yes," he said.

"It was fun." Rolling over without letting go of his fingers, she placed a kiss on his nose. "A little different."

It had been different. Normally, Spock enjoyed being in control during lovemaking. For a touch telepath, bringing one's partner to their physical plateau had obvious rewards. But for the last eight hours, he'd been decidedly uncontrolled. If Nyota had been bothered by it, perhaps he would have been disturbed. But...

"You enjoyed it," he said.

Grinning, she placed a kiss on his lips. The link bubbled with mischievousness. "Variety is the spice of life. Nice to know you're happy to see me."

She gave him another soft kiss, joy flowed through her fingertips ,and Spock echoed it back. Spock almost sighed as they slipped into a happiness loop. As the intensity of the loop waned, he realized he felt lighter, as though a weight he hadn't known he'd been carrying was gone. How odd.

Pulling back from his lips, Nyota said, "You find something...unusual, strange...or odd...What is it, my Spock?"

He raised an eyebrow. She was so adept at reading his feelings through the link. Did she find his emotion troubling? He wasn't as proficient reading her facial expressions as she was at discerning his emotions from their light empathic link. He pressed his finger pads against hers - all he felt was good humor and curiosity.

Touching her nose with the index finger of his free hand he said, "I am very relaxed."

Nyota raised an eyebrow. "Gaila always says orgasm is twenty times more powerful than the strongest muscle relaxant. Considering how many times we -"

Spock caught her free hand and rolled on top of her, his back stinging pleasantly with the scars she'd so thoughtfully left him. "I do not think that the effects are cumulative, my Nyota."

She smiled and shrugged. "Still, I think it is logical that you would feel relaxed right now."

Spock kissed a red welt on her shoulder and let a purr rise in his chest. She was his. For the first time in hours he really wasn't feeling lust, just belonging and playfulness. He felt her pulling her legs up underneath him and knew what would come next but didn't fight. With a quick thrust of her hips Nyota switched their positions. His back burned again as he hit the mattress.

"So, my Spock, we've barely had a chance to catch up," Nyota said.

"I would disagree. In one regard we have done quite a bit of catching up." He let his free hand wander down her back to just below her spine.

Nyota dragged the nails of one hand down his chest. "You know what I mean."

With a deep breath, he forced the link to go completely silent.

"You don't do very well at playing dumb, Lieutenant Commander," Nyota said. "Come on, anything new to report since we last chatted?"

Keeping the link very controlled, Spock said, "There is one thing."

Nyota tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. The link seethed with anticipation and light suspicion. "Well, I'm waiting. Tell me."

He could try and make her guess. But he found that game annoying. "Captain Pike has been selected to be the captain of the Enterprise. Catherine Soderberg, his current XO, has agreed to follow him and be his first officer."

Nyota blinked and let out a breath. Eyes wide she said, "Wow. That is big news." She tilted her head, "Do you think -"

Spock did not smile but he knew his fingertips flared with happiness and triumph. "I have been asked and have already accepted their offer to be chief science officer."

Nyota did not speak. Instead she bounced up to her knees and began to laugh. Just as Spock thought his serotonin receptors could flood no more, she leaned forward and bit him on the ear. Suddenly he felt lust again. Or she did. It really didn't matter.

x x x x

The makeshift auction booth was 2 meters square and was painted flat gray. The only light came from a monitor where bids were placed and viewed and from a control panel at the door. The control panel's lights blinked to indicate the room was shielded from telepathic eavesdropping, comm signals, and transporter beams. Knowing the auctioneers' other lines of business, Jabari suspected the room had been used for other more dubious purposes. He did his best not to think about it.

Denil and Tan were with him. Not content with the booth's built in scans, they were monitoring the surroundings for any telepathic activity. Focusing hard on the bid monitor, Jabari was trying to keep the pounding of his heart from interfering with his thinking.

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Jabari expected the trip to Litella 12 to be profitable, but just barely. He just wanted to keep his boat sailing between the stars and keep his crew from being bored without getting them killed - the neutral zone was a dangerous place now. That was one of the reasons he'd been so 'legit' of late. Really, he would have been happy enough if they picked up some interesting pieces and broke even.

Eight hours ago he, Denil and Tan had been among the last to survey the pieces that were currently on the block. It had gone well. Jabari hadn't seen anyone he knew. And he hadn't seen any Betazeds, Mad Dog Vulcans, or any other telepathic species.

In their greed, the creditors were handling this auction themselves. They didn't know enough about art to recognize that giving the items to a professional auctioning house would lead to higher returns even with the house's overhead. They didn't really know what they were selling. Denil, Tan and Jabari found some great bargains, all Bajoran...except for what Jabari was bidding on now.

"I thought you said that the paintings in that lot would only be valuable as Earth Pre-Mistake historical pieces," said Denil.

Jabari shrugged. He had, in fact, told Denil and Tan that. In the event they bumped into anyone, telepathic or otherwise, before the auction, Jabari wanted them to think the dusty paintings being sold en masse were next to worthless. Actually, most of them were worthless...

Someone placed a modest counter bid. Jabari let the time limit nearly expire before jumping in and offering just a little more.

"You're hardly leaving us enough credits to pick up the vase in the next lot," said Tan.

"I'm the captain and I'm sentimental," said Jabari staring at the screen.

Tan let out a huff. Jabari continued to stare at the screen.

"Is there something you aren't telling us, Boss?" asked Denil.

Not blinking or answering, Jabari's eyes didn't leave the monitor. No one was responding to his last bid. He blinked. He had to be dreaming. Maybe it was fake...it didn't matter, for this price he would at least make his money back on the historical value of the other paintings. "Sold to client 91600," said the monitor.

"That's our number," said Jabari sitting back in his chair.

"Yeah," said Tan. "We might have enough left for the vase..."

"We need to pick up our merchandise, get our bills of sale, and get out of here," said Jabari. He'd play it cool, but outside the auction boxes there were bound to be telepaths. Better to get out now before the rush.

His two crew members looked at each other sideways and then nodded their heads.

About a half an hour later Denil, Tan and Jabari were wheeling their crates out of the warehouse serving as an auction hall. Jabari held the bills of sale in a sweaty palm but tried to project an air of calm. He would have beamed immediately to the ship, except for the transporter sheilding. As soon as he felt the rain of Littella 12 on his head, Jabari flipped open his comm. "Rhin, we're ready. Find our signals and beam us and our cargo up."

"Retrieving your signals now," said Rhin.

"Jabari," said a familiar voice from behind. Jabari spun to see a wide green smile.

"Oh, shit," said Denil. The telepathwave monitor started to beep maniacally.

Cessnia was standing in the door of the warehouse, a Betazed man leaning on her arm. "Have you met my new crew member?" she asked.

There were techniques Jabari to ward off telepathic inquiries. He wasn't sure they worked, still he religiously applied them in situations like these. But he was taken off guard - the image of the painting flashed through his mind and desperation welled in his chest.

Oh fuckity-fuck.

The Betazed, drew back his head. "Cute profanity, Jabari. Cessnia, what he has...we want."

Cessnia called behind her. "Boys, over here!"

Denil and Tan began backing away. Standing his ground, Jabari shouted, "Denil, Tan, hold still and don't let go of your cargo! Rhin! Our signals - now!"

Six Orion men rushed past Cessnia just as Jabari felt the electrical white light of the transporter whip around him.

x x x x

From orbit Litella 12 was a mass of swirling gray clouds. Feeling a presence, Novasch passed the sensation to T'Quilloc and she turned her head from the ready room view port to the door. "Enter," she said.

The same Lieutenant from Risa entered the room. "Jabari Uhura's ship is here. We have been unable to secure a warrant from Federation authorities. We have no proof yet of the suspected smuggling activities."

Novasch's nostrils flared. T'Quilloc sent a wave of peace through the bond and then said to the lieutenant, "How is that possible—did they changed registration between Earth and Litella 12? Surely, that in itself is grounds for detention and questioning."

The Lieutenant nodded. "Their previous registration was Ferrengi, but they switched after readjusting their course in the Risan Nebulla. Due to a provision in a bylaw between the Risan and Ferrengi governments -"

Novasch tilted his head. "Well then, we must confront him one on one...and negotiate with him."

The lieutenant swallowed but his gaze remained steady on T'Quilloc.

"Where is Captain Uhura?" T'Quilloc asked.

"Commander, we have news that he was recently at an auction, a legal auction, but he left. His ship is not scheduled to depart Litella 12 for another 3 days -"

"Where is Lieutenant Commander Spock?" asked Novasch.

"He is not aboard the Farragut. It is human custom to lodge off ship during - shore leave." The Lieutenant had been speaking Vulcan, but switched to Standard for the last word. "We are searching the hotels now. When we locate him, should we inform him of our presence?"

"No," said T'Quilloc.

"It would be much better if we inform him of our presence in person," said Novasch.

The lieutenant swallowed again.

x x x x

The sound of falling water gently pulled Spock from his light meditative state. It was not the sound of the ubiquitous rain on the windows though; it was only the shower. Nyota was in there; he would take a turn after she moved on to her make up. They were planning on going to dinner to celebrate his upcoming assignment - although in his estimation the celebration had already occurred. He was very hungry and oddly enough there was a reputable Vegan restaurant on Litella 12.

He blinked. There was no sound of rain from outside. Had it actually stopped raining? He slipped on his trousers and undershirt from the night before, went to the window and opened the shade. Through a sliver in the clouds, the sun was shining on Litella 12's main outpost. From his briefings he knew this only happened approximately once every 467 days. Even as this thought crossed his mind, the sliver of sun vanished.

Letting the curtain fall he moved back to the bed. His mind felt clearer than it had in days. Truly an odd phenomena. Perhaps his human associates were right; perhaps he needed to escape duty occasionally? He was half human, after all.

He looked at Nyota's shoes by the door. Now that his mind was clear, he was becoming troubled by the circumstances of her arrival. She had come with her brother, a man of dubious occupation. As grateful as he was, he worried for her safety, and her career. Her relationship with Jabari could become troublesome should she ever be considered for a position in intelligence. Could it hurt his prospects as well?

He arranged his legs in the lotus position. There were no commercial flights available from Litella 12. To get back to Earth without Jabari's assistance, she would have to seek passage aboard a freighter. That would put her back on Earth after the start of her classes and might be even less safe than a return trip with her brother.

At that thought, a flicker of light in the corner of the hotel room caught Spock's eye. It was a transporter beam. He had no weapons but his fists. Slipping quickly from the bed, Spock prepared to use them.

**A/N:**

Oooo...cliffie! If you liked and enjoyed, please leave a review! It's the only way Notes and I get paid. (Also, I like to hear why you don't like it - consistency problems, if it get's too slow, etc.)

Thanks everyone for wishing me well. I'm feeling much better now. Next chapter is already written!


	7. The Push

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to beta Notes from the Classroom. Check out her latest "The Complexities of Human Pranks" in my faves.

**The Push**

_Vulcans are violent territorial creatures._

Those were Rhin's words when Jabari had stepped onto his boat's transporter and given her the beam down coordinates. Rhin had been able to track the location of Ny's comm, even though his sister hadn't been answering it.

Jabari heeded her warning. Materializing in a crouch, phaser drawn and set to stun, he avoided the fist that would have connected with his head. Propelling himself sideways into a roll, he narrowly missed being kicked in the jaw.

The wall of the hotel room knocked all the air out of his lungs. Drawing his phaser and taking a long gasp of breath, Jabari said, "That's enough, Spock!"

The blur that had been the half-Vulcan came to a stop. For the first time since beam down Jabari actually saw his sister's...what? Boyfriend? Lover?

Spock was wearing clothes, a dark undershirt and pants. Jabari couldn't see his sister, but he heard the shower running. He actually laughed with relief...he'd been worried he might arrive while they were engaged in other activities.

"Do you not think that the phaser is..." Spock tilted his head and looked down at Jabari, "...overkill?"

Actually, the way Spock had looked at the transporter depot the previous day, Jabari wasn't sure that it was overkill. Maybe it had been the wet bangs, or the low light making his pupils look excessively black, but Spock hadn't quite seemed himself. But now...he looked the way Jabari remembered him, cool and collected, despite having someone materialize in his hotel room without warning.

Shrugging, Jabari climbed to his feet and holstered the weapon. "The random factors of the universe gave you superior speed and strength. Phasers made us equal."

"Possibly," said Spock, "but a much simpler invention would have made a phaser completely unnecessary. Perhaps you are unfamiliar with the ancient technology of the door?"

In the background Jabari heard the shower water stop.

He could point out to Spock that materializing on the other side of the door would put him at risk of being visible to a security camera, a ticket and a fine. Instead Jabari said, "A rhetorical question and a joke. I really bring out the best in you, Mad Dog."

Spock tilted his head to the opposite side and put his hands behind his back.

From across the room came Ny's voice. "What's going on? What are _you_ doing here."

Jabari looked up to see his sister in a hotel bathrobe, her brow furrowed half between anger and concern.

And suddenly, despite the fact that he'd gone out of his way to bring his sister all the way to the edge of nowhere to see her...whatever...Jabari felt guilty. "I'm real sorry, but we have to leave. Now."

"What, I thought we had three more days?" said Nyota striding forward, now looking more angry than worried.

"Things changed."

Folding her arms across her chest, Ny said, "What's changed, Jabari?"

He hadn't really explained to anyone aboard his ship. None of them were from Earth. They would grasp the monetary worth of his purchase, but they wouldn't _understand_its _value._

...And, in truth Jabari still didn't quite believe what was happening was real. "It defies all logic..." Jabari said half to himself.

"I am sure of that," said Spock.

Ny let out a light huff of laughter and put a hand behind Spock's back.

"It shouldn't have been there," said Jabari shaking his head.

"What shouldn't have been there?" said Ny eyes narrowing.

They really had to leave, Jabari knew, but some part of him was still caught up in the wonder of his achievement. "When you go to these auctions, Ny, you are always looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack. The find. The purchase. You don't really expect to find it...much less buy it legally and walk away with it, but I did."

"You bought the needle?" said Ny raising an eyebrow.

Jabari smiled. "Actually, I bought a haystack...by Claude Monet."

Ny's jaw dropped.

Spock stood straighter. "That seems highly unlikely."

Jabari nodded. "I know, I know. But all my scans check out - it was damaged in the right bottom corner, the signature is almost completely unintelligible." He met Ny's eyes, "That's how they missed identifying it. But the paint pigments...the age...it's real."

Shaking his head, he brought himself out of his daze. "Unfortunately, I ran into a Betazed working for...an old friend...so news will be all over town by now...we have to leave."

His comm blinked. Flipping it open he saw a message from Kanel. "Ny, we've got ten minutes. Grab your gear, we're leaving."

Ny, gave a huff, but then said, "Well, I guess I have no choice." She began flinging a few items into the small bag she'd brought.

Flipping open his comm, Jabari said, "Rhinnea, prepare to beam us up in nine minutes."

Ny looked over her shoulder and gave Jabari a dirty look.

_"Affirmative,"_said Rhinnea in Romulan. She tended to revert to her native when under stress, as she would be now arranging for his transport and preparing for the launch. For an instant an image of Rhinnea filled his mind. Was her hair pushed back from the unfinished mourning tattoo on her face?

Ny looked over at Jabari for an instant, scowled, and then rubbed her head as though she had a headache.

"You will see that the painting gets...an appropriate venue?" Spock said, looking at Jabari intently.

Jabari bristled, then remembered - Spock knew he sometimes got sentimentally attached to art. "Yes, of course. It needs 24/7 security and care I can't provide - but I'd like to visit it again from time to time." He tilted his head, and something like love filled him - something big and transcendent. Well, it was big and important, his little painting...was it not? He was part of something bigger. "I'm not going to give it away for free...but I'm giving first dibs to the museum in Nairobi. I'll let every museum on Earth know. I'm sure the Earth government will find it too much of a treasure to let it go to a private collector."

Nodding, Spock said, "Depart now."

"What?" said Jabari.

"Leave now..." Spock closed his eyes. "I believe we are being telepathically scanned. I could be mistaken...but it could be your Betazed..."

Jabari flipped open his comm. "Rhinn, get a lock on Ny, me..." He looked over at his sister now touching foreheads with the half-Vulcan. Would Spock be in danger? "...and Spock _now._"

Spock lifted his head. "That will be unnecessary."

"Are you sure?" said Jabari and Ny at once.

_"I have your signals, Captain,"_said Rhinnea in her drawled out syllables.

"Spock?" said Ny.

Spock touched his hand to hers and pulled it away. "I am almost positive we were scanned a moment ago...I can protect myself, but not you. I cannot let your mental space be violated. Go now."

Spock's face was emotionless, but his sister's cheeks were wet.

Swallowing, Jabari unholstered his phaser. "Spock, catch."

The Vulcan caught the piece in midair.

"Now, Rhin," said Jabari.

x x x x

The lieutenant's voice came over the comm just as T'Quilloc and Novasch pressed the button to call the hotel's lift. "Captain Uhura's ship has asked for permission to leave dock."

"When?" asked T'Quilloc. Her voice was even and controlled, but Novasch felt her alarm.

"Now," said the lieutenant.

Novasch did not wait for instructions. His mind sprang free from its self imposed shackles. He breathed a deep sigh of relief and then reached out towards where he knew Spock to be. He tried to be careful...tried to keep Spock from being aware of his intrusion...

He found the half-Vulcan...guarded...did he sense Novasch's mental touch? But wait, there were two others, a male and a female human! Captain Jabari and Cadet Nyota Uhura.

_We were right,_ T'Quilloc said into his mind. _It was only natural for the bond-mates to reunite._

The doors of the lift opened. Novasch was distantly aware of T'Quilloc putting her arm on his and guiding him physically into the elevator. His mind was occupied on Jabari. What dubious business was the captain pursuing here?

Colors filled his mind, color on canvas, a simple rural scene - Novasch's heart leaped with Jabari's - Jabari was enraptured by it.

Novasch blinked.

_Unexpected,_ T'Quilloc murmured.

Jabari contacted someone aboard his ship. Someone he cared about deeply. Someone untouchable, mysterious. Someone beautiful, fragile, precious and in need of protection...

Novasch tilted his head.

"She speaks Romulan," said T'Quilloc aloud. Novasch felt her excitement. Romulan wasn't commonly spoken in the galaxy - except by Romulans. If Captain Uhura had a Romulan aboard his ship was it possible she _gave_ him the Romulan sphere? The sphere that exhibited technology beyond anything existing in the galaxy…just as the renegade group the Klingon Golarth suspected were Romulan exhibited advanced technical prowess…

Suddenly both he and T'Quilloc were as interested in this mysterious Romulan crew member as they were of the origins of the sphere itself. Could she be tied to the suspected renegade Romulans in the Neutral Zone?

"What does Cadet Uhura know of her?" T'Quilloc said. "Can you use the cadet to see how much Spock knows?"

Novasch reached out, touched the Cadet's mind. He felt the Cadet's head begin to ache, not unexpected. Last time he encountered Spock Novasch had deduced that Nyota had a negative reaction to an attempted bonding - it happened in 25% of human-Vulcan couples. The scars had not yet healed...

"You must continue to scan her, Novasch," said T'Quilloc. Novasch felt his bond-mate's desperation and pushed further into the cadet's mind. He was disappointed.

She knew less of the Romulan than Jabari, and Spock knew almost nothing.

Novasch reached back to Jabari.

And then through Jabari's ears he heard Spock say, "Leave now. I believe we are being telepathically scanned."

What? He'd been sensed. He swallowed. He was losing control. Novasch withdrew from Jabari's mind and pulled so deeply into his own that he could not even hear T'Quilloc. His head hurt, pressure pounded behind his eyes.

Soft fingers touched his own. _I am here k'diwa. You did fine. And we are almost at their floor. Look through my eyes._

Novash released his mind a fraction; felt the pressure ease, and watched the brightly lit numbers above the lift doors.

T'Quilloc's fingers tightened on his own. _Go further afield, k'diwa. Gently._

The lift doors slid open.

Novasch reached out. "They are gone," he said.

He began to walk but T'Quilloc pulled him back. "No. We need this Rhinnea. If we confront Spock, he may warn them."

x x x x

Spock watched as Nyota, cheeks still wet, and Jabari vanished.

Taking a deep breath he opened his mind and felt...nothing. He was almost positive he'd sensed something before.

Scanning another hominid without just cause or consent was unconscionable. Was it Jabari's Betazed, or someone else? He hadn't been able to discern intent.

Flipping the phaser in his fingers he found the controls. It was set to stun.

He had to know.

Grabbing his Starfleet issued slicker Spock headed for the door.

**A/N:**

Happy Saturday everyone. If you read and enjoyed, please leave a review!


	8. The Chill

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to beta Notes from the Classroom. Check out her latest "The Complexities of Human Pranks" in my faves.

**The Chill**

Spock stopped at the elevators. Above the doors was a readout with the lift's current location. Floor 10, 9, 8...

Doing a quick mental calculation, he turned sharply and headed for the stairs. A few minutes later he slipped carefully into the lobby. It was bustling with hominids. Spock scanned the group for Betazeds or other telepaths.

A bright pink bob caught his eye. He straightened. Even from behind he recognized Number One. She was staring out into the stormy Litella 12 afternoon. His body relaxed; he was in little danger of being seen...

As soon as that thought crossed his mind, Number One turned. Her eyes met his across the lobby floor and she began walking in his direction. He could not escape a confrontation. He prepared himself for the inevitable verbal invasion of his privacy.

As she approached Spock noticed the lipstick from the night before was gone. Her mouth looked pale in comparison to her smudged but still heavily made up eyes. Her brow was furrowed. "Spock, were they here to see you?" Number One asked.

Spock tilted his head, vexed by the vagueness of the question. "To whom do you refer?"

Number One blinked. "Commander T'Quilloc and her...charge, Novasch of the Gray Guard. I know you met them on Epsilon 1235."

Spock felt himself go cold.

"They didn't recognize me," Number One said looking back towards the windows. She made a tight half smile, "And I didn't announce myself. Wouldn't take a telepath to figure out what I've been up to. Just before I saw you, they beamed away."

Turning back to Spock, she said, "Did they come to visit you?"

Spock stared out into the rain. On Epsilon 1235 Novasch and T'Quilloc had saved him and nearly 10,000 human colonists. Novasch had also mentally assaulted Spock and brutally interrogated Goldilocks, a Cardassian who had fought beside Spock, during the Klingon invasion. After the incident, Novasch had whispered into Spock's mind, _He is a good man. It is a shame I couldn't get to know him well under different circumstances. _

Spock was still haunted by the experience...and Novasch's madness. It was an occupational hazard of the Guardsmen.

Was Novasch the presence Spock felt? If they had been here to see him, why would they have left? "I do not know the purpose of their visit," he said. "And they did not stop to give their regards."

x x x x

Nyota materialized on Jabari's boat. Rubbing away the lingering tendrils of a headache, Nyota dropped her eyes. Jabari jumped off the transporter pad and yelled something to Rhin. Nyota didn't hear what he said. Her gaze was caught by Rhin's wrists. The Romulan's sleeves had fallen back to reveal angry green bracelets of scar tissue.

How had Rhin gotten the scars? Had she been captured by slavers? How had she escaped whomever had given them to her? Jabari's one condition echoed in her mind, "Don't ask Rhin any questions…"

It made sense now. And his evasiveness when Nyota asked him questions about his relationship with the engineer.

She bit her lip, looked up, and for an instant Rhin's black eyes met hers. Rhin's face remained impassive, but she quickly pulled down her sleeves and then followed Jabari towards the bridge.

Nyota hugged her bag and went to Jabari's cabin to change out of the hotel robe. When she arrived on the bridge they were already in warp.

"Where are we going?" she asked, wondering if there were going to be any detours.

"We're heading straight home, Little Sister," Jabari said. He looked up at her and grinned. "Do you want to see it?"

She didn't have to ask what he was talking about. His eyes had that light in them again, the same light they'd had when they'd looked at El Anatsui's tapestry.

"Yeah," she said with a smile, "I would."

Jabari hopped out of his seat. Kanel rolled his eyes. Rhin's eyes stayed focused on her console.

A few minutes later they were in Jabari's cabin, staring down at a painting of a haystack. It wasn't very large, and the bottom right corner had been damaged. But it was still beautiful. Thanks to Jabari she knew the significance of the haystack paintings – this was just one in a series. The subject of the paintings weren't really the haystacks; it was light itself.

"It's blue," Nyota said looking at the lone haystack in the painting. "And the sky is so…white. This was painted in winter, wasn't it?"

"Yes," said Jabari, staring at the painting. Nyota noticed that his hands were shaking a little. "I can't believe I found it." He shook his head and whispered. "But every scan checks out."

At that moment Nyota felt a wave of fear sweep through her. Shivering, she wrapped her arms around herself. After being so close to Spock a few hours ago she knew what it was – or what it wasn't.

It wasn't her.

"Are you okay?" Jabari asked.

"Yes," Nyota said. As soon as they left warp she was going to call Spock.

x x x x

Docking at Nairobi was taking longer than Jabari expected. They had arrived unannounced and there wasn't a free bay. He used the time to start sending out emails to his contacts at the various museums of Earth.

Nyota was in his cabin availing herself of his subspace channel to call Spock. They'd been separated only a few hours. He sighed to himself and shook his head.

Across the bridge Rhin and Kanel were arguing…again. "Are your ears filled with wax, Ferrengi?"

Uh-oh. Jabari looked up, preparing himself to jump in; this argument could get nasty.

Kanel sucked in a huff of air and whispered to Rhin, "But I have encrypted and unencrypted versions of the message. You're brilliant, Rhin. Wouldn't you like to use that powerful Romulan mind of yours to decode a Starfleet code?"

Rhin squared her shoulders. "As I explained to you, it was a personal encryption device. And as I also explained to you, this encryption device is time dependent. We could use the same algorithm if we wanted to send a message to Nyota or Spock and it would be very secure…although not as secure as a new algorithm generated for a new time. We won't be able to eavesdrop on anymore of Nyota or Spock's conversations." Standing up she glared down at Kanel. "Not that we'd want to."

Jabari blinked. "What are you two arguing about?"

Rhin gave a sideways glance at Kanel. "The Ferrengi intercepted a personal message and thinks it will give him clairvoyance into the workings of Starfleet. I keep explaining that it might be useful if we wanted to use the same time stamp and send a secure message to -"

At that moment Nyota's face appeared at the door. "Jabari, can I talk to you?"

His sister's face looked drawn.

Jabari cast a glance at Rhin, "Don't rip his ears off. We'll discuss this later." And then he stood up and followed his sister into the hall.

Jabari tilted his head. "What's wrong?"

"I talked to Spock. A Gray Guardsman Spock has encountered before was there, in the hotel. Spock didn't see them himself, but a crewmate saw the Guardsman and his bondmate."

Grabbing one of his arms Nyota said, "Jabari, you aren't in any trouble with them, are you? The Gray Guard were in Nairobi when we beamed up…and then they were on Litella 12…"

Jabari felt his blood go cold. Then he shook himself. "Ny, now you're the one being paranoid."

Nyota shook her head, "Jabari, they did something to Spock…last time. He won't talk about it, but I know it was terrible."

Jabari had no doubt of that. His mouth went dry.

"Please," his sister said, "If they're after you…"

Jabari smiled with more bravado than he felt. "Little Sister, I don't have any delusions of grandeur. I'm just not important enough to have the Gray Guard after me."

**A/N:**

Only one comment on the haystack paintings! They're among my all time favorites. *Sigh* At least one person recognized El Anatsui (although he hasn't actually done that "Tapestry" piece-I made that up based on some of his other works).

The next part of the story will feature a lot of Jabari-Rhin/Novasch-T'Quilloc. Nyota and Spock will take a backseat for a little while. I know that I'll lose a lot of readers...but in the interest of completion, I've got to do it. I'll post a little note when the story arcs back to our main hero and heroine - so those of you who disappear can pick up the thread at the part that interests you.

If you read and enjoyed, please leave a review!


	9. The Bargain

**Disclaimer: **I don't own I don't profit.

Special thanks to beta Notes from the Classroom - check out her newest story, "The Complexities of Human Pranks" in my faves.

**The Bargain**

Less than ten hours later, by executive order of the United States of Africa's acting governor, Jabari was granted permission to beam straight from his ship to the Nairobi National Museum, painting in hand. And he was allowed to leave the same way - but this time his arms were empty.

Jabari wasn't surprised the Nairobi Museum had offered him the highest bid. Africa was the richest continent on Earth, and the Nairobi museum was able to quickly mobilize the wealth of its patrons and benefactors. There was no doubt a bit of smug one upmanship involved in his fellow Africans' hasty purchase of the painting. After centuries of having their artifacts bought or stolen, wealthy Africans did enjoy procuring European artifacts for their own museums and private collections.

They had gotten a bargain. Jabari might have gotten more from his countrymen if he'd held out a few weeks, but every minute the painting was on board his ship, he felt he was risking it being stolen - and he couldn't do that to his baby. It was for the best, but more than his arms felt empty when he materialized in front of Rhin and the rest of his crew.

He sighed. Denil, Tan and Kanel all drew back. Rhin tilted her head.

"Boss, did something go wrong?" asked Kanel.

Was this how it felt when you put your kid up for adoption? No, he didn't put his kid up for adoption; he'd _sold_ his kid. Ignoring the bad taste that thought left in his mouth, Jabari shook his head. "The money has already been transferred into your accounts."

Denil swallowed. Kanel's ear twitched. Tan licked his lips.

Jabari sighed. "9 and a half million credits apiece." Enough that none of them would ever _have_ to work again.

The small transporter room erupted in triumphant cries. Kanel, Tan and Denil rushed him and Jabari found himself looking at Rhin above Kanel's head.

Of course, they all _would_ work again. Jabari for love, Kanel for even greater riches, and Denil and Tan because they'd be broke in a few months. Granted, they'd help settle a few more of their relatives far from Bajor and the Cardassians - but a fair amount would go to gambling and their sexual partners of choice. Rhin would stay on because...because she had nowhere else to go? No, any boat would take her, but she'd stay here. Jabari wasn't sure how he knew, but he did.

Jabari smiled at her. She lowered her head but he could see her smile as she worked the shut down sequence on the console.

x x x

"How much?" Nyota sat up straighter in her chair in her dorm facing the monitor. She'd understood the painting's cultural value, but she hadn't known its monetary worth.

Jabari said the number again.

"Have I told you how much I love you lately, Big Brother," Nyota said, giving him a coy smile. "My big, handsome genius of a big brother...Do you want to hear what I want for my birthday?"

Jabari laughed.

Nyota touched the screen with a finger, something she did with Spock when she wanted to convey something important. She blinked. The motion had become automatic. Licking her lips she said, "Jabari, what I would really like...is for you to stay out of the neutral zone."

She had been flown back to campus by Starfleet because the other assistants in the Long Range Sensor Array had all caught a Longorian virus and were recuperating in the hospital.

Today she'd heard of another ship going missing, a Klingon vessel. It might have simply lost subspace capability, or may have veered off course, or maybe...there were a thousand maybes. One of those maybes was that it was now in the hands of the mysterious group terrorizing the neutral zone, making independent ships vanish as though they'd never existed...and stirring up tensions between the Federation, the Klingons and the other peoples of the galaxy. Everyone was convinced it was the work of the other.

Jabari looked down. "Hey, I know." He rubbed the scar on his shaved head absently. "Don't worry, the neutral zone is not the place I want to be right now. That was one of the reasons we were at an auction instead of out digging on some rock somewhere."

Looking back at her he said quietly, "You work a double shift today?"

"Yes," Nyota sighed.

"You look tired," Jabari said quietly. "I guess we won't be able to meet up for our usual all night goodbye?"

"I'm on again in seven hours," Nyota said, glancing at the clock on her computer monitor. Her brother was superstitious about his all night goodbyes before shipping out; she hated to let him down. "Maybe you could come over and we could grab coffee -"

"Nah," said Jabari, "You need your sleep." He took a deep breath and smiled. "Besides, I'm not going to be in the neutral zone, so I don't have to be superstitious."

"You sticking around Sol System for a while?" Nyota said hopefully.

Shaking his head, Jabari said, "No. My crew needs to relax... I'm thinking about going to Ultra Cenil-"

Nyota's eyes went wide. Ultra Cenil was famous for its purple waters, black sand beaches, chic resorts, high flyer gambling and one other thing. Pulling her fingers from the screen, she crossed her arms over her chest. "That place is practically run by the Martian Mob!"

"_Completely_ run by the Martian Mob," said Jabari. "Really, it's one of the safest places in the galaxy outside of Federation territory. They don't tolerate competition from any individual or other syndicate. You're not going to get so much as pick pocketed there as long as you obey the rules -"

Raising an eyebrow, Nyota said, "Rules?"

Scowling, Jabari switched into what Nyota called his 'professor' voice. "Ny, every society, even if it begins in lawlessness, eventually has to develop rules in order to thrive. These rules are remarkably similar everywhere. Typically there are prohibitions against murder, stealing -"

"Unless you're the people in charge, then you murder and steal as much as you want!" said Nyota.

"Ny," said Jabari, "They take a little off the top of their gambling, drug and..._other_ operations - they don't need to steal."

Nyota rolled her eyes.

"Hey, it's the safest place where _all_ my crew members will be welcome," Jabari said.

Of course, Rhin wouldn't be able to land anywhere in Federation space. Nyota wasn't certain of the status of Denil and Tan.

Trying to smile with more assurance than she felt, she said, "Be careful, Big Brother."

She swallowed. She knew he didn't want to hear anymore of her suspicions about the Gray Guard.

Jabari smiled. "Hey, for once I won't actually be out there looking for trouble." He shrugged and flashed a brilliant devil-may-care smile. "What could go wrong?"

x x x x

"Commander," the communications officer said to T'Quilloc, "he's going to Ultra Cenil."

If Nyota and Jabari had used a personal encryption device like the one she used to contact Spock, eavesdropping would have been impossible. But the brother and sister only used a standard commercial encryption, easily cracked by Vulcan specialists. Novasch might have even been able to do it himself - if he could have seen the code. He wished he could slip into their specialist's mind to feel the thrill of solving the puzzle...

T'Quilloc's mind brushed reassuringly against his. _We can review the code later if you wish. _Novasch resisted the urge to nudge against the specialist's consciousness. He sent a wave of apology to his bond-mate. The weight of logic always rested on her shoulders.

_Do not think of it, _T'Quilloc whispered into his mind. _We are bonded. You have made sacrifices, too._

Novasch bowed his head and tried to turn his thoughts to something more pleasant. They'd never been to Ultra Cenil. It was warm. He'd seen pictures of the black sand and purple water of its beaches. He filled his mind with thoughts of those - thoughts would have to do for now. They would not be leaving soon.

"Commander," the communications officer said again. "The High Councilors and their attendants are requesting permission to beam aboard."

"Grant them permission," T'Quilloc said. "We will meet them in the transporter room."

Novasch clenched his hands together behind his back and walked with his bond-mate to the turbolift. What could possibly be so important that they would delay pursuit of their most promising lead in years?

x x x x

T'Quilloc and Novasch sat at the long table in the conference room. The two High Councilors sat at the other end. These ancient Vulcan men were flanked by two other members of the Gray Guard, a man and woman, and their respective bond-mates. Novasch didn't need T'Quilloc's eyes to know these Gray Guard were young. Their minds were quiet and did not reach to his. Older Guards would have let their minds wander in the presence of another of their own - simply to relax their shields.

There was one other man at the table, Lieutenant-Commander Brillac. Novasch knew of him. Brillac was nearly as old as T'Quilloc and himself. The Lieutenant-Commander's bond-mate had been a Gray Guardsman killed in the line of duty on Epsilon 1235.

"We have information, Councilors, on where Captain Jabari and his crew will be going next," T'Quilloc said.

Frustrated at the bureaucratic delay of this meeting with the Councilors, Novasch dug his fingers into his thighs beneath the table.

_Peace, k'diwa,_ T'Quilloc said silently. _Certainly they have good reason._

One of the councilors said, "We do not wish to detain you much longer, but the council has decided that in this circumstance, unusual actions must be taken."

Perhaps they were considering sharing information with Golarth, the Klingon? Novasch sat up straighter in his chair and he felt T'Quilloc's heart leap.

"Commander, Novasch," said the other Councilor, "between the two of you lie the most in-depth memories and knowledge of what we believe could develop into a crisis for the galaxy within the next five years."

T'Quilloc nodded.

Novasch's head dropped. Keeping his shields up was wearying. Now when he wanted to know so desperately what the Councilors were slowly working their way towards, it was nearly maddening. Thought was so much faster than speech. It would be so easy to slip from his shell...

Touching his mind, his bond-mate whispered, _Patience, k'diwa._

"Besides following Captain Jabari," the Councilor continued, "we believe there is additional benefit to maintaining a presence on Earth, both to monitor his sister in the event he eludes us again, and to pursue other leads."

Intriguing. But surely they could be briefed on these Earth leads via subspace?

The first Councilor spoke again. "Novasch, you have unusual aptitude with humans in particular. T'Quilloc, your knowledge and experience in the neutral zone is unmatched.

"The bond between you and your mate, Commander, can allow your knowledge, memories and unique skills to be available in two places at once."

Novasch was filled with dread. T'Quilloc's dread. It was so rare for her to be so...emotional. Novasch was too stunned by his mate's reaction to tease the meaning from the Councilor's oblique words. He sent a wave of peace in T'Quilloc's direction. Her heart stilled, the dread dissipated - he was the stronger telepath after all. He felt her eyes on him.

And then he was awash in her memories.

_A boy across from her, the first time they'd met - their bonding at age seven when Vulcan touch telepathy was fully developed. His hand on her temples, the flood of memories, strange emotions, and curiosity. His name was _Novasch_. Later this boy, stranger and not stranger, next to her at her parents' house. His mind accidentally slipping into the mind of her pet sehlat over twenty meters away. His telepathic abilities hadn't stopped growing...she was flooded with wonder as they shared the consciousness of her beloved pet. __Later, __worry in university. Coming to be with him as it became more and more difficult for him not to slip into the minds of others, or to project. Pressing her forehead to his, putting her palms to his palms in an unorthodox effort to overwhelm his telepathic receptors and give him peace. Joy when he coaxed a fascinating wild bird out of the sky to alight on her arm. Tumbling through a cave during the Time. Feeling ecstasy when touching and when not touching. Feeling so needed and so loved. Losing the battle to keep his abilities hidden after university. Her sorrow at her family's aversion to him - the shame they felt towards her for not reporting his abilities to the proper authorities...Her dismay at his dismissal from his post at a small school. The day the Gray Guard came to recruit him - to recruit _them_. Her voice when he wavered, undecided over the decision to join. _"We will gain legitimacy, Novasch." _Accepting the position with the Guard _together_, being welcomed into her family once more, being legitimate, being honored for doing the logical thing. Guilt._

All these memories flowed by in an instant. There was nothing new.

_I am so sorry, k'diwa,_ she said into his mind.

Projecting acceptance and peace he said silently, _It is as you said;_ _we gained legitimacy. We use our situation to the benefit of our people. It is logical._

From across the table one of the councilors said, "For these reasons we are assigning you, Commander T'Quilloc, to pursue Captain Jabari on Ultra Centil with the aid of these Guardsmen, while Novasch remains here on Earth with Lieutenant-Commander Brillac to follow the other leads we have uncovered."

Novasch went cold. His vision went completely gray. His shields fell.

From beside him T'Quilloc's voice rose so loudly it echoed in the minds of Vulcans beyond the conference room doors. "The bargain was we would never be separated!"

**A/N:**

This chapter, especially the flashback scene was hard to write. I rewrote it twice and Notes sent it back to me telling me I needed a rewrite. I hope it is clear. T'Quilloc is partially the impetus for Novasch being in the guard - of course she'd have to be; he'd be lost without her.

If anyone hasn't read Descartes and is interested in my take on the rise of the African nations it starts at "Arrivals", but it might make more sense to start at "Openings" to see how Spock winds up following Nyota to Africa over break.

And oh, Jabari...What could go wrong? If you enjoyed please leave a review, it's the only way Notes and I get paid.


	10. Intrusions

**Disclaimer: I don't own, I don't profit.**

**Thanks to beta Notes from the Classroom**

**Intrusions**

_Bargain. It was the word of a merchant, a trader. A low word. It was an agreement. A compact with their people. Their service has not been in vain, they are valued..._

The Gray Guardsmen at the table were shielding their minds and the minds of their mates, but the thoughts of the Council members flowed into Novasch's mind like water.

_Will they agree? It will be difficult for them, but logical. The bureaucrats of Earth will not give us access...the Council dithers on whether to work with the Klingons...99.5% risk of major conflict within five years' time..._

Beyond those thoughts was also_...pity..._this was not something they asked lightly.

As the two ancient councilors realized that Novasch was listening in, they put up their mental shields in embarrassment—for themselves and for him.

Lieutenant Commander Brillac did not raise his shields, nor did he feel shame.

_So much to ask of them, but T'Dar, k'diwa, must protect others..._

Novasch trembled. The Lieutenant Commander felt only compassion and hope.

Tentatively Novasch let himself see through T'Quilloc's eyes. She was staring at the Lieutenant Commander. He was pale, his eyes a hazel instead of the normal black, his hair a light brown. In an instant Novasch knew Brillac been accepted to the Vulcan Science Academy – but he'd been forced to leave when his bond-mate T'Dar's abilities had become too strong and had been discovered.

The Gray Guard took all, no matter what their status.

At thoughts of T'Dar, Novasch felt his heart plunge. Such emptiness...

Brillac bowed his head. _Novasch, Commander T'Quilloc, it is so little, but I will offer you my eyes and my mind as long as we are on Earth...should you accept. _

Brillac did not presume they would follow the order.

_It is much to ask,_ Brillac's mind whispered. _They selected me because of my experience with T'Dar. I accepted because there is a lead. Vulcan Intelligence has found evidence of a Romulan named Rhinea who fell into Starfleet custody seven years ago - but we cannot get access to the Starfleet agent who detained her. I also accepted because..._

The Lieutenant Commander could not articulate the feelings that followed: loss, emptiness, revenge, memories of the Time - uncertainty of the next, the need to protect others.

"Pull from his mind, Novasch," T'Quilloc said, either aloud or telepathically, Novasch wasn't sure. "Give him privacy."

Novasch pulled back. T'Quilloc stared at the Lieutenant Commander in confusion, confusion Novasch shared.

_What do we do? _The thought rose simultaneously in both their minds.

They sat locked in mental disarray, fear, and shock for 10.15 minutes. No one in the conference room said a word.

Through the miasma a concrete thought emerged - from Novasch or T'Quilloc or both simultaneously...it didn't matter. _When you do not know which path to follow, do what is logical._

It was a Vulcan proverb.

The councillors' fear of conflict, and Brillac's despair, was weighing heavy on them both. It would have been so much easier if the councilors had been angry at their hesitation, and if Brillac hadn't been filled with such compassion.

T'Quilloc's mind began to fill with all the memories of the minds Novasch had invaded, on purpose and not. There was so much ugliness...but also much beauty. She thought of a time on Earth when they tumbled through the minds of humans in a crowded cafeteria: Toshi, Yumi and their baby girl; Patrick...the Cardassian Goldilocks of the Obsidian Order, and so many more...A galaxy at war would put all at risk.

"The needs of the many..." Novasch began.

"Outweigh the needs of the few..." T'Quilloc said.

They never fought the Council - not after the decisions were made. They always followed orders. Always.

Novasch and T'Quilloc were given 4.5 hours, a luxury in Vulcan time, to say their goodbyes and prepare for the separation. 4.5 hours to meditate together, sit forehead pressed to forehead, palm to palm...

And then Novasch was lying in a bed at a guest room at a Vulcan Consulate on Earth. His hosts had selected a room in an unused wing so he wouldn't telepathically embarrass himself or others. Lieutenant Brillac had made the unusual request of asking for quarters next to Novasch's own. Novasch had felt the shock in his hosts at the request. He'd been too distracted to bother with shields at the time.

Now Brillac was moving about in his own rooms. Novasch wasn't focused on his mind, though. He actually knew this by sound. Novasch's mind was focused on T'Quilloc's. Through his bond-mate's eyes he saw the stars stretch as the Vulcan ship slipped into warp and headed to Ultra Cenil.

x x x x

The warm night air on the beach of Ultra Cenil smelled of salt and something Jabari could not identify. Underneath the gazebo beyond the twinkling lights of the resort casino, he and his crew were sitting around a large circular bar, mingling and laughing with vacationers from no fewer than twelve worlds.

Jabari's lap was currently occupied by a very fine specimen of the female form from Angoria. Tixia? Nixia? Whatever. He thought of her as Blue Lady.

Blue Lady was prattling about her experiences shopping for the four little white napkins held together with gold rings which she seemed to think passed for a dress. Jabari was only half listening; between polite chuckles his eyes scanned the crowd.

Seated at the bar directly across from him, a Gorn of unidentifiable gender slinked out a long tongue and wrapped it around his digger Denil's neck. Denil let himself be pulled forward and licked the reptile's upper lip. Jabari looked away quickly. Denil wouldn't be on the ship in the morning.

Blue Lady wriggled a bit on his lap. He looked up and gave what he hoped passed for an interested smile.

"And then do you know what the shop keeper said?" said Blue Lady - what was her name?

"Hmmmm..." said Jabari.

Blue Lady proceeded to chatter away. Jabari's eyes flicked to Kanel. The Ferrengi was smilingly happily as a markedly older human female stroked his ears - Kanel liked wrinkles; he found the smooth skin of younger humans "slightly freakish."

And then almost against his will Jabari's eyes returned to the same spot they'd been drawn all night. At the bar 3 o'clock from Jabari's position, Tan was sitting so close to Rhin their shoulders brushed.

Jabari took a swig of his mineral water and lime. He couldn't blame Tan. Rhin looked radiant. She wore more clothing than any other female in the crowd, a high necked long sleeved sweater over loose trousers that none-the-less flattered her figure. Jabari doubted she was even wearing makeup - but her eyes and hair were so dark she didn't need it. She made the other women look artificial.

For a moment Rhin's eyes met his. Putting his glass down on the table in front of him with a little too much force, Jabari turned away, but a few seconds later his eyes were back at the pair again. Rhin wasn't looking at him anymore; instead she was focused on the Romulan ale Tan was pushing in front of her. The Bajoran used the opportunity to lean against her.

What was she doing? Of all the crew Jabari thought he was the closest to Rhin. He'd saved her life; she'd returned the favor. They played chess. She tried to teach him finer points of engineering. He tried to teach her about art. She'd given him her loyalty ring. She said that it was custom for the crew of vessels from where she was from to wear matching rings...

He gazed down at the ring. It only barely fit his pinky finger.

Rhin _never _drank...So why now, with Tan of all hominids in the galaxy? He was a stand up guy in his own right, but really, aside from a roll in a bunk what could he do for her?

Of course, maybe that's what she wanted. A roll in the bunk. She'd lived practically as a nun since she'd come aboard. Well, good for her. Maybe she was healing. It was none of his damn business.

Looking down, he picked up the plastic stirrer that had come with his drink and jabbed at the lime slice until nothing was left but pulp.

Blue Lady was silent. When had she stopped talking?

"Hmmmm?" he said, looking up at her.

Raising an eyebrow, Blue Lady said, "You've been staring at her all night." She shook her head in obvious disgust and then slipped off Jabari's lap.

Jabari watched her leave. The scant fabric of her dress highlighted her impressive 'assets' as she strode off. He found he couldn't be bothered to care.

Someone should stay at the ship tonight anyways.

"Check," he said. The bartender showed him a PADD. Slipping a few credits on the counter, Jabari stood and took one last look at Rhin. From above a mug of ale poised at her lips, her black eyes met his.

Jabari clenched his jaw, turned and left.

Since no one was aboard his boat, Jabari had to go through the hassle of a public terminal and then walk aboard through the main hatch. He checked the controls on the bridge, made the usual rounds to assure no one had been visited without permission - although anti-teleportation shields Rhin had devised should present that sort of thing. He believed in being cautious.

Satisfied all was secure, he headed back towards the narrow hallway that led to the sleeping chambers. He was just stepping into his own chamber when he heard the main hatch open and close.

"Who's there?" Jabari said.

There was no answer.

The footsteps did not sound familiar.

**A/N:**

I've had a couple of readers tell me that they're confused by the plot and why Novasch and T'Quilloc are so interested in Jabari. And they've apologized for being confused…_**when that's my fault**_!

So I went back and edited a few things:

In the Prologue I changed Admiral Barrett's line to make it clear to Golarth that the renegade group in the was displaying advanced technology:

_"That is your opinion, and we respect it greatly," said the human Admiral Barrett. "But the agents causing chaos in the Neutral Zone seemingly possess technology more advanced than any known sentient species. Their ships move too fast. They've been completely able to avoid our sensors. It is inconceivable that a group of renegades would have the resources to develop this advanced technology on their-"_

…as you may recall Golarth suspects a renegade group of Romulans are behind the mysterious disappearance of ships in the NZ.

In "The Push" I added/changed one paragraph when T'Quilloc and Novasch realize that Jabari has a Romulan aboard:

_"She speaks Romulan," said T'Quilloc aloud. Novasch felt her excitement. Romulan wasn't commonly spoken in the galaxy - except by Romulans. If Captain Uhura had a Romulan aboard his ship was it possible she __gave__ him the Romulan sphere? The sphere that exhibited technology beyond anything existing in the galaxy…just as the renegade group the Klingon Golarth suspected were Romulan exhibited advanced technical prowess… _

_Suddenly both he and T'Quilloc were as interested in this mysterious Romulan crew member as they were of the origins of the sphere itself. Could she be tied to the suspected renegade Romulans in the Neutral Zone?_

I hope these changes will clear things up for future readers. Thank you for your feedback!


	11. Not Alone

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to beta Notes from the Classroom. Check out her latest, "The Complexities of Human Pranks" in my faves.

**Not Alone**

There was the unfamiliar sound of shuffling steps coming towards the hallway. Jabari reached into his nightstand and pulled out a phaser. Why had he given his favorite piece to Spock?

Turning around he went to the doorway, his heart beating in his ears. The intruder was getting closer. They didn't seem to know where they were going; their footsteps were halting. Peering around the edge of the door frame, he carefully gazed out into the hall. A familiar frame swayed slightly and reached out to one of the walls for balance.

Putting the phaser back on the nightstand, Jabari huffed out in annoyance. "Rhin, what the Hell? Why didn't you answer when I called?"

Rhin fell sideways. One of her shoulders hit the wall and she blinked.

"Oh, Hell, Rhin..."

He felt his anger vanishing. She probably hadn't drunk in ages, and obviously was completely in her cups. Going forward he wrapped one arm around her waist. He was about to pull the arm on that side over his shoulder but she caught his hand with the hand of her opposite side. Her free hand went behind his back and pulled him closer...or maybe she was just trying to steady herself? This wasn't her at all...their bodies were pressed together, the fingers of one hand were entwined, Rhin's eyes were meeting his own from beneath that intricate half formed tattoo, and Jabari's heart was beating in his ears again - but this time for a completely different reason.

Rhin swallowed. "Are you alone?"

It took a few moments for the words to sink in. Jabari had been with plenty of women, human and otherwise. But never with a Romulan or Vulcan. And never with her. Where their bodies touched, Rhin was soft where she was supposed to be soft, and the softness was the same as a human woman, but beneath that softness was a quality of muscle he hadn't encountered before.

And she was warm. Fever hot, even through the sweater where his hand met the curve of her back. He couldn't resist massaging that intense warmth just a bit.

A low sound came from Rhin's chest; it wasn't a moan or a sigh. It sounded almost like a purr. It was sexy and...charming.

Dropping his eyes to her lips, Jabari said, "I'm alone."

Disengaging their joined hands, Rhin began to stroke his middle and index fingers...somehow it wasn't his fingers that felt it the most.

Jabari leaned in and kissed her. Her mouth smelled like Romulan ale and it was too dry, too hot, and too firm, like she wasn't expecting it, or hadn't kissed before. It was beautiful, awkward and somehow one of the sexiest moments he'd ever experienced. The sound that he'd thought was a purr increased in volume and he couldn't resist smiling into her mouth.

"I'm alone, too," said Rhin, the purr sound not abating one bit. She nipped at his lower lip, but not hard enough to draw blood. She did it with practiced ease, and something clicked in Jabari. So that was Romulan kissing...He nipped back and found himself forcefully shoved against the opposite wall. And then her mouth was on his a little clumsily. She was trying to give him human kisses, and how sweet was that?

He responded, feeling her get the hang of it and enjoying the press of her breasts against his chest and the slight softness of her abdomen against his core. Her purr started to decrease in volume though. Well, if she was going to try and accommodate his human needs, he was going to return the favor. He began nipping up her cheek until he reached the lobe of one of her beautiful pointed ears, bit down a little bit, and pushed her against the other wall. The purring increased and she pressed her hips hard against his. The hand that was touching his began to stroke his fingers frantically without real rhythm and Jabari remembered for the first time that she was a bit tipsy. But did it matter really?

Pulling back from her ear, he nipped at her lip and smiled. She didn't smile back, just gazed at him with those black eyes and continued to stroke his hand - obviously, some part of the Romulan sexual response. Well, Jabari had no qualms about playing along. He looked over to where their hands were joined...and went cold.

The sleeve of her sweater had fallen back, revealing the ugly scars on her wrists. Not ugly in a repulsive way; he wanted to kiss them, take away whatever horrible experience had put them there...but she might be sensitive to bringing attention to them.

He turned his gaze back to her face.

Her eyes were downcast. She was staring at his lips, still purring a bit, but unevenly.

She was drunk. This was no good; she didn't know what she was doing. This could forever damage their professional relationship. He was violating his own rules; he did not fuck around with crew members. He wasn't a Mad Dog like Spock.

...but no matter what happened, wasn't this going to put a wrench in their professional relationship? If there was going to be fallout anyway...

Jabari kissed her again. Long and hard. She still hadn't quite gotten the hang of it. He pulled back with her gasping for breath, eyes at half mast. His eyes slid sideways again to those bracelets of angry green scar tissue.

She was a friend. His eyes went to the loyalty ring glinting dully in the light and back to the scars. He looked at her face; she was looking at her wrists, and her mouth was twisted into an expression he couldn't identify. Disgust? Sorrow?

"Rhin, no, this isn't -"

A sound erupted from Rhin's chest, half hiss, half growl. Jabari found himself propelled backward, his head ricocheted against the wall, and all of the air rushed out of his lungs. Rhin stumbled down the hall to her quarters, and began jamming numbers into her access console.

Gasping, Jabari followed her. She disappeared into her quarters and the door slid shut just in front of Jabari's nose.

Banging at the door Jabari shouted, "Rhin, get out here. We've got to talk about this."

There was no answer. Jabari stood back. She'd never disobey an order, would she? He waited, hands on his hips. Evidently, yes, she would. He could enter the access code and...

No. Hell, let her sleep it off.

He walked back into his quarters and made his way into the small closet that held his tiny sink and sonic shower. Splashing water in his face, he caught his reflection in the mirror and scowled. "You idiot. You've just lost the best engineer in the galaxy."

And maybe more than that, but he couldn't bring himself to say it aloud.

x x x

The next morning Jabari stumbled out into the main cabin and found himself alone. In a slight fit of panic, he had the computer check for vital signs - Rhin was still in her room sleeping; no one else was aboard.

Sitting down at his comm, he actually tried to call Ny. What would he tell her about last night? "So, my engineer got drunk and I took advantage of the situation and almost...but then didn't because...How do I fix this?" He was both aggravated and relieved when she didn't pick up her comm.

She'd probably just tell him he was an idiot, which he knew anyway.

Sitting back in his chair, he considered sitting and waiting for Rhin to wake up - and quickly discarded it. Too much like pining and he _did not_ pine.

Standing up, he went back to his cabin, changed into a pair of brown linen slacks and a cream linen shirt Ny had picked out for him-she was really handy for that sort of thing. Picking up his PADD, he checked to see that all his emails had downloaded.

PADD in hand, he was heading down the hall when his comm blinked. Glancing at the number he flipped it open. "Good morning, Kanel."

"Her husband showed up. I need a drink, and maybe a med kit...and I blew all the credits I budgeted for gambling," said the Ferrengi.

Chuckling Jabari said, "I'm heading for the beach. I hear the gazebo serves drinks and breakfast. It'll be my treat."

x x x x

The transporter put him down inside the casino, of course. Jabari had to ask directions to find his way out. Like all casinos there were no windows - no use letting your patrons know just how long they'd been losing money. He passed through the no-nonsense Gorn security guards at the doors with their telepath monitors. Of course it showed psi-null for him. They nodded and he nodded back.

There was a wooden boardwalk of white wood over the black sand leading out to the gazebo where drinks and food were served. Beyond that was the purple sea. You had to walk through the gazebo to get to the beach...the resort wasn't going to miss the opportunity to try and sell you some drinks or nibbles.

It was still fairly early and the boardwalk was almost empty except for a pair of Romulans, male and female in traditional attire, standing by the railing at the end of the walkway right before the gazebo proper. They were so stiff Jabari thought they could be Vulcans...but no, Vulcans wouldn't be caught dead in a place like this.

The female in the pair caught his eye. She had black hair and dark eyes like Rhin. Her skin was nearly the same shade of green. As he got closer he couldn't keep himself from staring a bit. He remembered Rhin's teeth nipping at his lips the night before. This Romulan's mouth was not as wide or sensuous as Rhin's. Her lips were narrower and...catching himself gazing at her lips, his eyes went to hers. He was only a meter or so away now and noticed they were blood shot green. They seemed...a little foggy...and didn't meet his own; instead they seemed focused on the space above his right shoulder.

For some reason, Jabari shivered. She was probably just drugged...

And then his mind drifted back to Rhin pushing him against the wall the night before. He glanced back at the woman. The male in the pair stepped closer to his female companion in a way that would be interpreted on seven out of ten worlds as territorial.

Jabari smiled. "Hey, good morning." They didn't smile back or respond.

Jabari restrained another shiver, stepped under the shade of the gazebo, nodded at the waiters and bartender, and then and noticed Kanel relaxing beyond the gazebo in the first set of lounge chairs on the beach. Smiling, he ambled out of the gazebo and across the black sands to join him.

About twenty minutes later he was sipping a tasty sort of fruit shake drink and listening to Kanel ramble on about his latest adventure when a slight commotion on the gazebo caught his attention.

"I'm sorry," a waiter said to a group of four hominids sitting at one of the tables in the shade. "The gazebo seating is reserved for a breakfast party. You're welcome to sit out on the lounge chairs on the beach; we offer full service there."

Jabari couldn't make out their faces - he was sitting in the bright sun and they were in shadow. After a minute they all nodded in unison, and then made their way out of the gazebo. They were Romulan. Jabari recognized the pair he'd seen earlier and a second pair, also a male and female. As they walked past, Jabari noticed the new male's eyes were bloodshot. Without a word they sat down about five meters away from Kanel and Jabari.

"They're a friendly chatty bunch," commented Kanel.

"Huh," said Jabari.

Kanel sank back into his chair. "This sun is making me sleepy." He sighed happily. "Did I mention how much sleep I _didn't_ get last night once that woman got her hands on my lobes?"

"Yes, unfortunately, you did," Jabari said picking up his PADD and turning it on.

Kanel sighed again. Jabari knew it wouldn't be long...and sure enough Kanel was softly snoring by his side a few minutes later.

Chuckling, Jabari began to read over his emails. He blinked at one subject line in particular. _Mombassa University is seeking to charter a vessel to the Neutral Zone for Federation approved dig._ The sender was Jabari's main contact from the Nairobi Museum, the chief curator herself.

Clicking quickly, Jabari read the message, holding his breath.

_Jabari,_

_Congratulations on your recent find! Don't worry, we're taking very good care of it. Your fame is spreading far and wide. Recently, I told some acquaintances of mine that besides Earth art and artifacts you have a personal collection of alien artifacts from the Neutral Zone that is quite impressive._

Jabari had shown the curator some of the artifacts in his personal collection. It was legal to dig for and keep those artifacts...though it was frowned upon. It was expressly illegal to sell those artifacts - it broke several Federation Laws pertaining to the preservation of archaeological sights of interest and trafficking in non-catalogued cultural relics. Since going to the Neutral Zone and digging for these relics was expensive, the laws—if they were followed-meant that the rich and powerful had a lot of beautiful alien art. Of course, Jabari did not follow this law - why should the beautiful belong only to some and not others? He collected a lot and sold many more of the artifacts he found. He actually saw it as a public service. Better the artifacts be in private collections uncatalogued than under the heel of some Klingon's boot. It was also the illegitimate, and until recently, the most profitable arm of his business.

He read further.

_On the basis of your reputation - have I told you the local Public Holostation wants to interview you for a documentary they'd like to do on this painting? You're becoming the quite the local celebrity - my acquaintances would like to charter you for the expedition. It would do a great deal for furthering our understanding of the denizens of Nillian alpha 5. Their budget for the charter is 200,000 credits, plus expenses..._

200,000 credits...it wasn't anything like the money he just made, but it was a nice sum. And it was legitimate. Normally universities worked in conjunction with Starfleet for this sort of thing. Jabari didn't know of any independents who had ever been asked to take such a job.

This was the sort of job that even his dad might be proud of him for.

And his crew, what would they think?

He felt an odd sort of warmth in his stomach.

The ocean waves were lapping at the beach, Kanel was gently snoring, and Jabari felt sheltered...and at peace. Rhin's face came to his mind, her black hair, tattoo...

What would Rhin think? He should invite her down to the planet now...

No, wait, after last night...

His mind went back to the day he'd found her. Her shuttle crashed on that planet in its death throes...how long had she been there? She'd converted the shuttle into a hut. A local volcano had turned the air slightly toxic. He and his crew were just there to siphon off a little water...they'd seen her life sign...they entered her shuttle-hut wearing respirators and found her unconscious, green scars peaking out from beneath the rags she wore.

Jabari had picked her up himself and carried her back to the ship - no one else was strong enough.

They didn't have a medbay. She'd so obviously been through Hell. Jabari couldn't bring himself to put her on one of the cold, barely padded benches in the main cabin where Tan and Denil would gape at her. He put her in his own bed.

Jabari had left her alone in his quarters and settled on the benches in the main cabin. There was a large chair in his quarters that reclined and would have been more comfortable - but he didn't need to be telepathic to suspect what must have happened to her at some point. Waking up to a large strange man would be uncomfortable for her...and might have wound up dangerous for him.

He really should invite Rhin down to the planet. The beach was warm, she'd like it...

Kanel stirred next to him. Jabari sat up and looked over at his friend. He and Kanel had been through a lot together...was he feeling warm fuzzies looking at his Ferrengi co-pilot? He was. And an odd sort of deep connection with the universe. He felt...not alone. And it was brilliant.

He flipped open his comm. He'd invite Rhin down. Heck, maybe order her. It would be for her own good.

"You know," said Kanel, "I was just dreaming about Rhin." He shook his head. "What the Hell do you think happened to her? Who do you think -"

The warm fuzzies vanished. "We don't talk about that," said Jabari.

Kanel blinked. "Why not?"

Jabari felt something twist in his gut. Kanel was thinking of Rhin at the same time he was...that was..._weird._ And Kanel knew Jabari didn't tolerate any speculation about what happened to Rhin.

Maybe he was just imagining things? He felt that warmth again...that connection...Why was he worried? It was just a coincidence. Invite Rhin down to the beach. Now...

Kanel was staring out at the water. "You know, we should invite Rhin down to the beach. It's warm here...she'd like it..."

Jabari tilted his head. Kanel didn't even _like_ Rhin...

And then a conversation he'd had a long time ago with Josef Friedman, one of the founders of Holosuite came to his mind. Friedman was among the richest men in the galaxy, and he made his fortune on Vulcan technology. That made him one of the foremost experts on Vulcans in Jabari's mind.

Jabari put some credits down on the table between Kanel and himself. "Come on, Kanel, we're going gambling."

"I spent all my money -"

Hauling the Ferrengi to his feet, Jabari said, "It'll be my treat."

"Boss," Kanel said as Jabari dragged him through the breakfast party on the gazebo towards the boardwalk, "I think I kind of love you...Maybe even as much as latinum."

Jabari felt himself go cold.

Jabari had joked with Josef Friedman that Surak was like God to Vulcans. Friedman had said seriously, "No, Surak is like religion to Vulcans. The bond is like God."

Which made Jabari hypothesize that the same part of the brain that was responsible for feelings of the divine in humans might work in telepathy...and maybe Ferrengi's had the same sort of divine receptor in their neural networks too.

He had a defense. It was weak, but it was all he had. A Betazed he'd spent a night with said it _might_ be helpful. He began to chant. _"Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done..."_

"Boss?" said Kanel. He knew Jabari wasn't really Christian beyond tradition.

Jabari swallowed. If only he had his grandmother's faith. _"In earth as it is in heaven..."_

Kanel also knew Jabari's superstition. "I don't see any telepathic species," Kanel said as they stepped on to the boardwalk. "Oh, look, here come those friendly Romulans. I bet Rhin would love to meet them."

_"Forgive us our trespasses,"_ Jabari said looking behind him. The 'Romulans' weren't running, but their quick steps had them closing in fast. Forget prayers.

Pulling Kanel's arm, he shouted, "Run!"

**A/N:**

UST anyone?

Is it unclear that the "Romulans" are the Gray Guard? Jabari definitely isn't a telepath, he just is attune to the unusual - he's a sharp guy.

And Jabari's prayer has something other than a supernatural meaning. He doesn't believe that an omnipotent being is stepping in to save him - and he actually missed a few verses!

Anyway, hope you enjoyed. Please leave a review if you did!


	12. Portal

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to beta Notes from the Classroom. Check out her latest story "Complexities of Human Pranks" for something lighter and fun.

**Portal**

Dragging Kanel behind him, Jabari stumbled down the boardwalk. He felt like his feet were made of lead, like he was running in place in a dream. Struggling to get out of Jabari's grasp, Kanel wasn't any help.

Panting Jabari nearly came to a stop.

"At last!" said Kanel. "Really, we should give Rhin over -"

Rhin's name hit Jabari like an electric shock. Lunging forward with Kanel in tow, he began to chant again.

"_Our Father, which art in heaven, thy kingdom come; thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven."_

They weren't going to make it. Just give up.

Closing his eyes he said. _ "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us."_

He heard footsteps less than a meter behind them.

Kanel was fuming, swearing incoherently in Ferrengi.

Jabari had to drown it all out. _"And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil!"_

And then the alarms from the telepath monitors sounded.

Someone with a Cardassian accent shouted, "Halt! Hands above your heads!"

Cardassians were not immune to telepathy, but they had more resistance than humans - or Kanel, apparently. Ferrengi were supposed to be resistant, too...

Jabari put his hands above his head and grinned at the sky. _"For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen!"_

"They're beaming up! Get a lock on them!"

Phaser fire whipped past Jabari so close he could feel its heat, but he was untouched. He looked down to his side. Kanel turned to him unhurt, hands in the air, mouth agape.

Jabari decided he might actually start believing in God.

"Shit! They got away!" someone shouted.

The next few minutes whirred by. He and Kanel were scanned with telepath monitors and declared clean. People poured out of the casino to see what the commotion was.

Pulling Kanel to the side of the crowd, Jabari flipped open his comm and tried to call Rhin. Feeling like his heart was in his throat he listened for five rings whole rings. There was no answer.

He closed his eyes, and then on the sixth ring Rhin picked up.

"Captain," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

Inwardly fuming at his slip the night before he said,"Rhin, listen to me, are the transporter shields still working?" They had no time for awkwardness.

There was silence, and then she said, "Yes, they are still operational. Do you need me to beam you -"

"No. No. No!" She'd have to drop the shields if she did that. Closing his eyes he put his fist to his forehead. "Rhin, see if anyone has attempted to beam into our ship."

"Aye, Captain."

There was a few moments of silence.

"Captain," said Rhin, "It appears that there were half a dozen attempts to beam aboard in the last twenty-four hours."

"Are Denil and Tan there yet?"

"Negative, Captain. Would you like me to scan for their location?"

"No!"

Fuckity fuck.

Jabari took a deep breath. He had no doubt that conversations to his ship were being listened to. He could find Denil and Tan himself, _after _he came up with a plan. How to get his team off Ultra Cenil, onto his boat, get permission to launch and go...go where?

He'd worry about that later. He needed to get them safely up to the port from wherever they were. The space port above was crawling with security: weapons, narcotic, and telepathic detectors. That's why he'd been able to walk in through his main hatch and why the Gray Guard-and he was sure it was the Gray Guard-had tried to teleport in. Failing that, they'd tried to convince him to lure Rhin down to the surface.

"Listen, Rhin, don't leave the ship! Do you hear me? Don't leave! And don't drop the shields, for anyone. If Denil or Tan tries to call in, tell them to stay close to telepath monitors or stay locked in whatever place they're shacked up - "

"I believe you are Captain Jabari Uhura," a masculine voice said at his side.

Jabari looked up to see a middle-aged human man in an elegant maroon suit, the trappings of the Martian Mob that ran Ultra Cenil. Next to him was a no-nonsense looking Cardassian in security garb.

Fuckity fuck again. He might need to reconsider his recently found faith in God.

"Call you back soon, Rhin." Jabari said. He felt Kanel edge closer to his side.

"I'm George Stratos," said the human man, bowing. "This is my associate, Ellenewaat. I'm the manager of the casino here. On behalf of myself and all my associates on Ultra Cenil, I want to extend my sincerest apologies for this recent incident."

The Cardassian bowed, too. "We are infinitely relieved that you were able to get to the telepath monitors in time."

Jabari blinked.

Stratos said, "Of course, you may be in shock, and we understand that. But we are anxious to discover who these perpetrators are so that we may pursue them. They appear, oddly enough, to be hyper-telepathic Vulcans of some sort."

"Mad Dogs, perhaps?" said Ellenewaat using the spacer slang for Vulcans without logic.

Jabari swallowed. He didn't want to say they were the Gray Guard. Word would get around; people might shun him just to avoid trouble with Vulcan.

The Cardassian took his nervousness to be ignorance. "Perhaps if we knew what they were after?"

No way was he telling them it was Rhin. It might make her a target for bounty hunters. "I don't really know," said Jabari.

Tilting his head, the Cardassian said, "A clue might be found in how you deduced you were being...influenced."

Jabari looked to the side. Cardassians were known for their ability to ferret out lies and he was treading the line here.

"It was me!" said Kanel.

Jabari looked down at his small friend. To his surprise, giant tears were working their way down the Ferrengi's face.

"My four lobed brain is supposed to be immune to telepathic persuasion...but...but...I told my friend I loved him...more than latinum!"

That actually wasn't _quite_ a lie. That had been the final tip off...The likelihood of a Ferrengi confessing he loved anything more than latinum...well, you'd be more likely to be able to transport aboard a ship moving at warp and not wind up inside-out, vacuum-popped ice crystals.

It was a shameful admission on Kanel's part. The tears were undoubtedly real_._ Jabari was actually surprised by the public admission.

"Ah..." said the Cardassian. "So it was your friend's erratic behavior -"

Kanel threw himself at Jabari, burrowing his head against Jabari's chest and sobbing. "If this gets out, my reputation will be ruined! Ruined!"

Jabari nodded at the Cardassian and Stratos above Kanel's head and touched a finger to his lips to indicate silence.

Stratos and the Cardassian looked down in embarrassment.

And then the Ferrengi turned a tear-stained face and a gnarled finger towards Stratos and Ellenewaat. "This is all your fault. If you had taken greater precautions, this never would have happened! When I tell my clan about how shoddy this planet treats its guests..."

"Surely there is a way we can make this up to you?" said Stratos.

Jabari lifted a hand to wipe his eyes. He didn't have to fake a slight shake-the events of the day had been trying. "We're both obviously very distraught."

"Very," sniffed Kanel.

"Isn't there anything we can do to make this right?" said George.

And suddenly Jabari had an idea. A few minutes later George and Ellenewaat were discussing Jabari and Kanel's demands a short distance away.

Kanel, still attached to Jabari's chest, looked up and hissed. "I just saved your Romulan's ass. I get a 5% raise, and an extra 50,000 credits for this."

"Done," said Jabari, too happy to complain. He patted the Ferrengi's shoulders and smiled.

x x x x

Sitting in the lotus position on his bed in the consulate, Novasch stared out the window. His eyes stung slightly from his latest surgery, and his vision was still less than perfect. He could see only light, shade and swathes of color beyond the window.

His hands were shaking. T'Quilloc was in a briefing. He was trying to block himself from her thoughts so she could focus on the meeting.

Captain Uhura and his crew had gotten away. He knew that. They needed to know how.

He couldn't turn to T'Quilloc. Exhaling softly, he reached out with his mind to find relief elsewhere, a mental perch. Brillac was sitting in the room next door, his mind a perfect blank slate in meditation. It would be peaceful to dwell there...

A shadow alighted on his window. Novasch's eyes widened. A bird. _Columba livia, _the common rock pigeon. Novasch liked to fly. He let himself be lost in the bird's ruffling feathers. He felt his stomach constrict. The bird was hungry. Novasch searched his memory; did he have food?

Yes, there were peanuts by his bedstand. By memory he retrieved the jar, ignoring the sanitary utensils. It was a bird; it wouldn't be offended.

Fumbling forward he reached towards the window latch. He couldn't deduce its operation, and his eyes weren't well enough to study it. He tried to stare at it from the bird's eyes, but no matter how he manipulated the creature's line of vision, the bird couldn't see the latch.

In a fit of frustration, Novasch drove his fist through the glass pane. It erupted outward. The bird flew away in a shower of glass, spiraling upward into the sunlight.

Brillac was in the room a moment later. "Use my eyes, use my mind, Novasch."

Novasch let himself slip into the other Vulcan's mind. It wasn't as unpredictable and exciting as the bird's - or a human's - nor was it as comforting as T'Quilloc, but it was something.

"We'll have time to visit the park tomorrow," Brillac said, unoffended by Novasch's feelings. "There are many birds there. T'Dar always found it fascinating to slip into the mind of many small flying creatures at once." There was a slip of longing in the Lieutenant Commander's words as he said that.

Novasch perked. That would be quite exciting.

"I will see the window is fixed," Brillac said. "And that a healer comes to see your hand."

For the first time Novasch felt the burn of skin torn by glass. He pulled his hand to his chest.

"Has T'Quilloc's meeting adjourned yet?" Brillac asked.

"No," he blinked. He felt T'Quilloc bumping at his consciousness anxiously. "Yes, it has now."

With a mental sigh of joy he dropped to the bed and let his bond mate's consciousness merge with his own. He imagined and she imagined simultaneously that their foreheads and palms were together in an _onsen_ that they had shared with Toshi and Yumi years ago.

It took a few minutes to emerge from the memory. But at last T'Quilloc said, _The Ferrengi Kanel has unusually large hypocampi__,__ and oddly active regions of his temporal lobes. The larger connections between his four chambers, and the temporal activity, made him susceptible to telepathy. Unfortunately, his behavior became erratic and gave the invasion away._

_It was too much of a risk; they should not have attempted to slip into the Ferrengi's mind, _Novasch said in annoyance.

_It is done, _said T'Quilloc. Novasch felt his annoyance dissipate under her influence.

_How did they get away, k'diwa? _ Novasch asked.

He felt some excitement from T'Quilloc. _Jabari Uhura began reciting a chant. I have looked up the words. It was a prayer. It did not grant him immunity, just resistance. But this could offer some credence to T'Quill's __theory that the telepathic gateway in humans is in the portion of the temporal lobe that is responsible for spiritual and mystical experiences - and when that _portal _is blocked humans are more difficult to manipulate._

Novasch blinked. _Fascinating. _ And then he shook himself. _But how did they manage to avoid us teleporting into their ship? And how did they return from the surface without being intercepted by our agents in between?_

T'Quilloc looked out at the stars, and then said, _Captain Uhura managed to convince the casino to provide him and his crew an armed Cardassian escort from the surface to his main hatch. _This time he felt her temper...and then her alarm. _As for the inability to teleport into the ship, there was an energy shield around the hull. We are still not certain how it worked. The technology is far more advanced than anything we've encountered._

Novasch sat up straighter. More evidence.

_There's more, _T'Quilloc whispered into his mind. _They appear to have warp capacity beyond ours as well. _

Before Novasch could panic, T'Quilloc said, _There is some good news. We know now for certain Jabari Uhura has been selling artifacts from the Neutral Zone illegally. We can gather hard evidence and have a warrant for his arrest put out in Federation space._

_He won't re-enter Federation Space_, Novasch said with conviction. _ He is apparently not that stupid._

He felt T'Quilloc's resignation. _No, I believe he will head to outer worlds and the Neutral Zone. Perhaps by contacting Cadet Uhura or his parents, you will be able to discover his location?_

Novasch nodded. _But first I have another appointment._

_Terran authorities have granted access to their prisoner?_

_No, that is still being deliberated._ Novasch felt his nostrils flare. _But we have access to one of the witnesses in the case. _Not that the witness would be able to talk about the trial. But that really wouldn't be an obstacle_. I will be visiting Dr. Ridzki Kurniadi in Jakarta tonight._

**A/N:**

You don't actually have to believe in God to see how the prayer could work to interfere with telepathy, if indeed the "God module" as some scientists call it, is the portal through which Vulcan telepaths enter the human brain. (The God center is real, if you're atheist you can believe having a belief in God has some evolutionary advantage, if you're religious you can view it as the God receptor...either way, it works in this story.) I'M NOT PROMOTING ANY ONE RELIGION OVER ANOTHER. I'm firmly agnostic, but have friends of all faiths, and even an atheist friend or two.**  
**

Thanks to everyone still reading! I know so many OCs...but I just had to finish my little universe.

More Rhin and Jabari next chapter ('cause I love them). If you were entertained, please leave a review...it's the only way Notes and I get paid!


	13. Opening the Book

**Disclaimer: I don't own, I don't profit.**

Special thanks to Beta Notes from the Classroom. Check out her latest "Complexities of Human Pranks" in my faves.

**Opening the Book**

The gravity was off. They were at maximum warp, the ship on autopilot skirting the edge of the Neutral Zone.

Denil was strapped on the bench with his head in his hands. Strapped nearby was Rhin, looking at the floor, her face blank. Kanel was bracing himself against the wall near the hallway to the bridge.

Bouncing off the walls, literally, was Tan. "But the Gray Guard...why would they want us?"

Floating parallel to the floor, hands anchored to a safety bar, Jabari looked quickly at Kanel. "I'm not really sure."

The Ferrengi said nothing, apparently interested in keeping that 5% raise.

"Our accounts aren't in Federation Space," said Tan, floating past Jabari.

Couldn't he stay still? Jabari scowled. He had half a mind to knock the Bajoran to the floor.

Unaware of Jabari's irritation, Tan kept talking - and bouncing back and forth from wall to wall. "We could withdraw our money from our accounts and buy new identities..."

"I'm sure that the Gray Guard are monitoring our accounts. They'd be able to follow the money trail," said Jabari.

"They wouldn't be fast enough..." said Tan.

"To withdraw all the money at one time would require a request, then an authorization, then the actual credit transaction," said Rhin. "24 hours at minimum. They'd be fast enough."

Somersaulting against a wall, Tan said, "Well, we'll take it out a little bit at a time..."

Looking up quickly, Denil said, "And be chased from one system to another? Until...until..." He dropped his head back into his hands. "The Gray Guard...What are we going to do?"

Scowling, Jabari said, "We're not going to do anything! Not until we've had a chance to think this thing through. We're going to park this boat someplace out of the way and come up with a plan."

Grabbing hold of a safety bar, Tan said, "But where?"

Jabari took a deep breath. "We've got enough food for a couple of months. It would be good to have access to water..."

Kanel cleared his throat. "Delta-A 930."

Jabari looked over at his co-pilot. "Delta-A 930? I've never even heard of it before..."

Kanel smiled, "That's exactly it! No one has heard of it! Starfleet did an exploratory mission there about a year ago, but their findings haven't been published." Licking his lips he said, "It's in the Neutral Zone close to Romulus - far from the Federation. It has water, plenty of it...and latinum veins close to the surface. We won't need credits! We'll have latinum!"

"First of all," said Jabari with a scowl, "how do you know this? Second, our equipment is not designed for mining latinum. How -"

"But Rhin can modify our equipment," said Kanel. "Can't you Rhin?"

"I -" said Rhin.

Nodding at Rhin, Kanel said, "I know you can. You're a genius." He looked back at Jabari. "I found out when I read the email your sister received from Spock."

Jabari raised an eyebrow at Kanel. The Ferengi had protected Rhin for more than just a raise.

Tan started bouncing off the walls again. Denil's foot was tapping a rapid staccato rhythm as he fidgeted with his straps. Even if the trip didn't reap any financial rewards, the boys would be better off with something to do - and he had no doubt Rhin could modify the equipment.

Narrowing his eyes at Kanel - just to let the Ferrengi know he knew his game, Jabari said, "Delta-A 930...make it so."

Kanel gave Jabari a triumphant smile. "Will do, Boss."

"Denil, Tan," Jabari said, "go get the main sifter. Bring it in here so Rhin can begin modifications."

Nodding, the two Bajorans headed towards the storage hatches.

Jabari turned to Rhin. "We need to talk."

x x x x

The only place with real privacy on the ship was Jabari's quarters. Which was awkward as Hell.

As soon as the door closed, Rhin said, "Captain, my behavior last night was dishonorable. You can be certain -"

"Rhin, that's not what we're here to talk about."

She was floating in mid air in front of him. He was against a wall. If he pushed off their bodies would meet...He could put his arms around her, and that was all he wanted to do right now, to protect her from what he was about to say.

He closed his eyes. He'd heard things about "interviews" with the Gray Guard. It was said that at close range the Guard were musicians and your mind was their instrument - they could play your emotions and physical reactions, kill with a thought, cause fear and agony.

...but those deemed innocent and allowed to walk away said that wasn't the worst of what the Guard did. The Guard raided your memories; they made you relive every terrible second in your life. Every private moment, shameful misdeed, every embarrassment—again, as real as it had been the first time.

Anyone who would make Rhin relive her private Hell —in Jabari's mind they were as bad as whoever had hurt her in the first place.

Opening his eyes, he met hers. "Rhin, the Guard isn't after us. They're after you."

Her arms wrapped around her body.

Swallowing, Jabari said, "I need to know what I'm dealing with here, Rhin. Is it something you did, or some information, or..."

Rhin's body started to tremble. Her hands went to her face as her body started to curl inward in midair. "I told the Starfleet agent...I answered all the questions he asked...while I was...he made me."

Jabari felt himself go hot. He pushed himself off the wall and took hold of one of her wrists. His voice came out a hiss. "Did a Starfleet agent do this to you?"

She stared at him.

"Answer me, Rhin! Who was he, what was he?"

"Starfleet...human...I won't...I can't do it again." Her eyes met his, and now they were angry. She tried to pull her wrist away, but Jabari wrapped his free arm around her and pulled her closer.

Kissing her hair he whispered, "You won't. I won't let them."

x x x x

The night air in the Jakarta suburb was warm, wet, and alive with the sound of insects. The street they were on was lined with houses, but the small, narrow front yards were so thick with trees and vegetation that to Brillac's Vulcan eyes - and Novasch's mind- it was nearly a jungle. There was nothing like it on their world.

"This is it," said Brillac. They stood on a sidewalk in front of a rather modest looking home. "Do you need to get closer?"

Novasch dropped his head. He had been confining himself to Brillac's consciousness, but now he let his mind roam free. He found a man and a woman preparing for bed. He probed gently and confirmed Brillac's words: it was Dr. Ridzki Kurniadi and his wife.

"No, we are close enough," Novasch said. "We will wait here until they sleep."

It did not take long.

Human dreams were interesting environments to submerge oneself in. On the one hand, extraneous data was even more common than in the normal course of human thought. On the other hand, they were easier to manipulate.

As Dr. Kurniadi drifted to sleep, Novasch whispered into his mind the name, "Rhinnea," and that was all it took...

x x x x

_The prosthetic ears itched. Ridzki stared at himself in the mirror and blinked. Ah, he was dreaming..._

No wait, this wasn't a dream he wanted to have. He should wake up...No. Sleep.

He felt himself pulled into the dream, caught up in some strange seductive undertow.

_"I'm too short and too skinny to pass for Romulan. How did I get this assignment again?" he said._

_"I don't know why _we _were assigned to this," said Sarah Diaz with a sigh...Captain Sarah Diaz. Ridzki gazed at her reflection. She could pass for Romulan. She was taller than he was - but that was not a tremendous feat. Distressingly, her shoulders were broader, too. Still, she was definitely attractive and statuesque, with black wavy hair and dark eyes._

_"You're right, though, you are too short and skinny," Sarah said. Ridzki scowled at her honesty._

_"Don't worry, Doctor. We won't be outside for very long. We'll land the shuttle in the courtyard, head into the main building, and that will be it..."_

Why didn't they transport?

Such a strange dream. The answer popped into Ridzki's mind automatically. _Because it was only Sarah and himself in the ship, no one to operate the transporter controls in the shuttle._

_They landed in the main courtyard, next to another ship, a Romulan vessel, beautiful, exotic and streamlined. Ridzki wondered who it belonged to...weren't private space craft expensive to Romulans? _

_They walked across the courtyard to the main building; Sarah whistled as she passed the strange vessel._

_To Ridzki's surprise, the door was answered by a Gorn. This was a Romulan outpost, a system away from Romulus proper, and they were here to see a human spy, a Starfleet spy, disguised as a Romulan. What was a Gorn doing here?_

_"Come," said the Gorn. "Simeone Bonneville is expecting you."_

_The hairs on Ridzki's back rose. Why had the Gorn used the Starfleet agent's real name?_

_It felt...wrong...but they followed the Gorn._

Why was Ridzki there?

_He was sent to ascertain Simeone Bonneville's physical health - and mental health as far as was possible. It had been three years since Simeone had had any in-person contact from anyone within Starfleet._

_The hall seemed endless. They passed many Gorn. They appeared to be servants...How did Simeone afford servants? Why would he compromise himself? Sarah said, "He's got to be working for the other side..."_

Wait, no, she did not say that then; she said that later...

So strange, to be annotating his dreams...

_Ridzki was standing before Simeone himself. Simeone sat behind a wide desk. He was dark haired and with sallow skin, prosthetic ears, and a sneer. He was tall. Well, everyone was tall to Ridzki. Did Simeone really have a sneer - or was that a trick of the dream? A symbol of Bonneville's personality?_

What was his personality?

_The Starfleet file said he was a narcissist...and brilliant. Fluent in Romulan..._

x x x x

"Novasch," Brillac said.

Novasch's concentration wavered.

"Revelers just passed by on the street perpendicular to this," said the Lieutenant Commander. "Ascertain that you only stick to the pertinent facts."

Novasch took a breath and fell back into the Doctor's dream.

x x x x

_Ridzki was staring into Bonneville's ear. "It's in both. Very odd."_

_"What Doctor?" asked Bonneville. He sounded so impatient. But his health, except for this one thing, was perfect..._

_"There appear to be stem cells growing in your ear. That explains your loss of hearing. It's a condition very common in children. I've never seen it in a man your age before."_

_"You will fix it?" said Bonneville._

_"Oh yes," said Ridzki. "But I will need to take these scans back to the ship first so I can study them and plan the surgery. I would like to do it in the morning..."_

_"Your home is very beautiful,"_ _said the Captain to Simeone. _ _"Much more than I was expecting. Perhaps you would give me a tour?"_

_"I would be delighted," said Simeone._

_Ridzki narrowed his eyes. He didn't like Simeone. And he knew Sarah well enough to realize neither did she. What was she doing? _

_Gesturing towards the Gorn, Simeone said to Sarah, "Let me have Gravitch get us some refreshments," He turned to Ridzki. "You can find your way out, doctor?"_

_Ridzki managed to take a wrong turn. At the end of a dark hallway from behind a wall came the sound of moaning. _

_A Gorn servant passed, not paying any mind...Simeone was going deaf, and Gorn were reptiles; perhaps their hearing did not register certain sounds?_

A part of Ridzki's mind was screaming to wake up. He did not want to live this again, even in a dream. He felt himself toss in his bed, but sleep held him under like quicksand.

_...And he was in the chamber, at night. Sarah guarding the door. The horrible chamber. The smell. The Romulan woman bound naked to the mattress...the bruises...her life in the cell an open book he did not want to read._

Wake up...Wake up...He gasped for breath. For real, in the dream?

_Maybe she was a prisoner with good cause? His gut dropped, maybe Starfleet _knew.

_No one was meant to be treated like this. His profession, and his faith, demanded she be released...Sarah would stand by him..._

_The Romulan was unconscious. His heartbeat was almost deafening as he cut her bonds with a laser scalpel and jolted her awake with a hypo. They'd be found out. The Gorn would kill them. At Starfleet there would be an inquisition...he hadn't asked for permission to release her..._

_Whispering, "What is your name?" _

_Her eyes blinking open. "Rhinnea..." a string of words in an alien tongue that Ridzki knew were swears. He hypoed her with a mild tranquilizer, wrapped the one filthy blanket on the bed around her naked body, and guided her to her feet. He was the perfect size to be her crutch._

x x x x

"Novasch, there is a party of humans headed in this direction," said Brillac. His mind pushed against Novasch's. _Novasch, just what we _need.

x x x x

_Novasch? What was Novasch? A Romulan word?_

_Sarah's body limp in his arms. Not dead, only stunned. The Romulan woman in Sarah's spare clothing screaming down at him, phaser in hand. "Into the escape pod!"_

_"We only want to help you," said Ridzki, his back to the hatch. "Starfleet will..."_

_"No. No. No more of Starfleet human. Into the pod!"_

_Blackness._

_He awoke in an escape pod. Sarah's still-unconscious body pressed against his. They were running out of air..._

_Novasch! Novasch! Novasch! We must go!_

Wake up Ridzki.

x x x x

Ridzki bolted upright. He felt claustrophobic, and the air conditioned air felt stale in his lungs. Gasping for breath he made his way to the window and opened the latch.

Down the street he could hear late night party-goers approaching, but what caught his eye were two silhouetted figures just beyond his narrow strip of lawn. They both turned without a word and walked away.

**A/N:**

Bits and pieces of Rhin's story…

If you read and enjoyed, please review!


	14. Out of the Pan

**Summary (Because it's been so long since I updated):**

Nero's plannin' on testin' his drill / red matter scheme on Delta-A 930.

Golarth the Klingon is damn sure it's Romulans who are up to the ship stealin' in the neutral zone - the Vulcans diss him as looney, but then the Romulan sphere shows up and the Gray Guardsman Novasch and his wife, Commander T'Quilloc, change their tune.

Nyota visits Spock for a bit. Novasch invades her mind and Jabari's from afar and discovers that Jabari is harboring Rhinnea, a Romulan aboard his vessel-Romulan with rather futuristic engineering skills.

T'Quilloc and Novasch are separated. T'Quilloc stays in space hunting for Jabari and the mysterious Romulan Rhinnea. On Earth Novasch is seeking answers elsewhere. He melds (without consent) to Dr. Ridzki Kurniadi, a doctor who investigated a Starfleet agent, Simeone Bonneville, who was working for the Romulans. He learns that Starfleet, or rather Simeone, had Rhinnea in custody years ago. Simeone obviously tortured her. Dr. Kurniadi rescued her but Rhinnea was unable to trust him and sent Kurniadi and the captain of his vessel off in an escape pod and stole their ship.

T'Quilloc almost catches Jabari at the pleasure planet Ultra Cenil, but he skips out into deep space to hide out for a while knowing that the Gray Guard is after him. She has charges pressed against him so he can't return to Federation space.

The planet he chooses to hide out on (due to his Ferrengi Pilot peeking a look at scientific correspondence from Spock that was supposed to be confidential and to Nyota) is...

Dum de dum: Delta-A 930!

**Tapestry Chapter 14 : Out of the Pan**

On Delta-A 930 Jabari's breath rattled in the ventilator as the most precious substance in deep space rushed in through the tube in his hands.

"That'll be enough water for another month at least," said Jabari looking up over to Rhin silhouetted against the red and orange sky. She was standing nearly ten meters away next to a small decontamination unit that cleaned the water from the surface and then pumped it into the ship. She wore an environmental suit like his own. Delta-A 930's atmospheric pressure was similar to that of Earth, but the high amount of ammonia in the air made it toxic to hominids. Behind her suit's visor and ventilation apparatus, there was nothing to be seen of her. Nothing to be seen of the woman - crew member and friend - he was risking his life for.

He'd been so close to legitimacy. That dream was gone forever. He hadn't contacted any one via subspace since blasting off from Ultra Cenil two weeks ago, afraid of bringing anyone he cared about deeper into this mess. But he had checked the subspace net; he was now a wanted man in the Federation. He closed his eyes - that alone would break his parents' heart. Would they be in danger? They knew nothing of Rhin, but if they were questioned -

What about Ny? She knew a little...

The ground underneath his feet trembled and Jabari nearly fell over. Kanel's voice came through his ear buds.

"Whoa, did you feel that, Captain?"

"Yeah. Everyone alright?"

He glanced over at Rhin. She nodded. Turning he looked across Delta-A 930's rock-strewn plains and caught sight of Denil, Tan and Kanel, in their envirosuits, busy sifting for latinum.

Denil's voice buzzed in his ear. "We're okay here." Across the plain one of the figures waved.

"We may be putting ourselves in danger on a planet with so much seismic activity," said Rhin.

"We'll be fine!" said Kanel.

Jabari's heart fell, and he felt cold all over. Putting his crew in danger was one thing, possibly putting his family in danger...

He sucked in a deep breath and heard his ventilator rattle dangerously. Closing his eyes he silently begged whatever gods might exist in the universe: _Please, don't let them hurt Ny_.

Beneath his feet the ground rippled in a tiny aftershock.

x x x x

"Nyota, did you know?" her mother said.

"I..." Nyota couldn't look at the screen. News of the warrant for Jabari's arrest had just come over the net. There went her Starfleet Intelligence clearance and recent promotion. She swallowed; worrying about what it was going to do to her career was dwarfed at the moment by her mother's grief.

Hearing her mother sigh Nyota dared to look up. Her mother's mouth was twisted in a frown she knew was a dam for tears.

"I suppose we all knew," her mother said, wiping her eyes. "I mean, selling artifacts could never have paid for that ship. But you were there. That painting..."

"No mother! That was real," Nyota said. "He just..." she shrugged. "He got lucky at an auction."

Her mother gazed away from the screen. "A lot of good it did him..." She took a deep breath and looked back at Nyota. "You tell me if you hear from him." Tears spilled over her cheeks. "No matter what he's done," she shook her head, "he's still my son."

Nyota felt herself beginning to cry. "How is daddy taking it?"

Her mother looked away again. She sucked in another breath. "Not well."

"Can I talk to him?" asked Nyota.

Her mother shook her head. "That isn't a good idea right now." There was a sound like a door being slammed. "I have to go," she said and the screen went black.

Nyota slumped back in her chair.

"Is Jabari alright, Nyota?" said Gaila from behind her. Despite her recent promotion she still shared a room with Gaila, officers quarters were filled at the moment. Despite the occasional night time visitor Nyota was mostly happy about it. Her roommate helped keep her mind off Spock's absence - and now Jabari's.

Nyota turned and looked at her roommate. Gaila was sitting on her bed, back against the head board, knees up, with a monitor balanced on her lap.

"I don't know," Nyota said looking away.

Gaila said softly, "I hope he is. I always liked your brother."

Nyota said nothing. Her comm chirped but she made no move to answer it.

"Pick it up, Ny," said Gaila. "Maybe it's happy news."

Nyota turned in her chair. It was a message from Toshi Matsumura. Well, that might be happy news. Or at least a distraction. Pressing the accept button she found herself face to face with the diminutive soft-spoken man. Bobbing his salt and peppered haired head he said, "Cadet Uhura! We heard about your recent promotion - you're now a Lieutenant." He chuckled.

Nyota smiled tightly. She had indeed been made a Lieutenant and graduated ahead of schedule - although the graduation was contingent on her completing her current course load. Things were heating up in the neutral zone, and SI had to graduate and promote her to jump the bureaucratic hurdles to giving her security clearance. There weren't enough xenolinguists in the fleet, and the Universal Translator was dodgy when it came to deciphering less than pristine languages.

That promotion might be good as gone now. Granted she hadn't had to lie about what Jabari did. She hadn't even been asked. Her clearance wasn't that high.

She shook her head and did her best to give Toshi a genuine smile. "Thanks," she said.

Clearing his throat, Toshi said, "Ms. Uhura, you've been so busy in the sensor array you haven't even come by to pick up your sphere. Patrick and I would love to give it back to you."

Nyota straightened. The sphere was a gift from Jabari...and more precious than ever now.

"We're in the lab," Toshi said. "Perhaps -"

"I have a free moment," said Nyota. "I can stop by."

"Excellent," said Toshi. "Oh, and I have a friend who'd like to meet you."

But Nyota barely heard him. She was already putting on her boots.

It was early evening when she stepped out of the dorm. By the time she reached the computer science building the sky to the west still had a bit of yellow painted along the horizon, but darkness had already settled in the east.

As she opened the door she felt a stirring in her stomach, like butterflies. Shaking it off she skipped the lift and headed up the stairs two at a time.

On the third floor she came to a breathless halt. Toshi's lab was down the hall. The door was closed but the lights were on. She was about to head down the hall when she caught herself. She'd practically ran the whole way and hadn't even checked herself in a mirror before she left. Biting her bottom lip, she straightened her pony tail and bent down to smooth her skirt.

"Lieutenant Uhura! So good to see you!"

Jerking her head up, Nyota saw Toshi walking towards her. Smiling and nodding he said, "He said you were here."

"Who?" said Nyota as she stood, moved over to Toshi, and began walking with him towards his lab.

"Oh, my Vulcan friend," said Toshi. From the lab came the sound of Patrick's laughter.

Nyota raised her fingers to her temple. Her head suddenly hurt horribly, when had this headache come on?

Toshi's friend...

A memory stirred. Looking down at the stained gray lineoleum she tried to call it to mind, disregarding the pain behind her eyes as she stepped into Toshi's lab. She was missing something important...

"This is my friend -" said Toshi.

Nyota lifted her head. Her eyes went wide and her breath caught in her throat.

Standing in front of her, head slightly tilted to the side was a Vulcan man with white hair and eyes grayed by cataracts.

"-Novasch," said Toshi.

**A/N:**

Whew! Short, but hopefully sweet? It was people reviewing this story that got me writing it again...so, umm...if you liked it, err...please leave a review!


	15. Into the Fire

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to beta Notes from the Classroom. Check out her "Crossing the Equator" in my faves for Spock / Uhura, Pike / Number One goodness.

**Into the Fire**

Novash fought off a grimace of pain as the tendrils of headache spilled from Nyota Uhura's mind to his. He pulled back mentally and took refuge in Brillac's mind. Pain in his subjects was not something he was unaccustomed to, but he had not meant to hurt her, and the intensity of the discomfort caught him off guard.

Brillac stepped closer to him.

_I will hurt her if I push harder, _Novasch thought to Brillac. _Perhaps damage her permanently_.

_How does Spock communicate with her? _ Brillac wondered, and Novasch felt his bewilderment. How indeed. Novasch could not imagine being unable to transmit his feelings to T'Quilloc. He blinked. That was it. Spock transmitted _feelings _only. That explained why he could sense the presence of a bond - fractured as it was, and how Spock didn't hurt her.

"And this is Brillac," Toshi said. "An acquaintance of Novasch's."

"We have heard a great deal about you from Toshi and Patrick," said Brillac. "And I have had the honor of serving with Spock on Epsilon 1235."

"Oh," said Ms. Uhura, taking a tiny step backwards.

Novasch felt Patrick's and Toshi's confusion and worry on the behalf of Ms. Uhura. She was behaving strangely in their eyes, shy. Novasch skimmed their memories of her. She was not shy; in fact...she was quite _cheeky._

_I am frightening her,_ Novasch thought to Brillac.

_It cannot be helped, _Brillac replied._ The needs of the many. Can you access her emotions without harming her? _

Novasch reached out tentatively. Ms. Uhura straightened, locked her eyes on him, and Novasch felt _fury_, the presence of some pain, but it was remnants of his previously attempted invasion.

_I can, _thought Novasch to Brillac.

Ms. Uhura's eyes shot to Brillac and back to Novasch.

"We have seen the sphere you so generously loaned to Patrick and Toshi. We do have some questions about it we hoped you would answer," Brillac said.

Not taking her eyes off of Novasch, she said, "Do I have a choice?"

"Oh, he doesn't mean it like that," said Patrick.

"No, no, no." said Toshi. "Novasch is a good friend of mine. He and Brillac are simply curious - fascinated...you know how Vulcans are."

Toshi's eyes went to Novasch, and Novasch felt the human man's silent question. _Right?_

"I am not..._interrogating _you, Ms. Uhura. And I will not," Novasch said. He used the Vulcan word for interrogation, for its implications of mental plundering. He would not because to do so would most likely render her brain dead. That would require a special dispensation from the High Council.

The word _interrogating _did not soothe Patric or Toshi, both speakers of Vulcan. Instead it put them on edge. They looked between Brillac and Novasch and Ms. Uhura.

She tilted her head and he felt her wariness.

What to do...

_The truth, _thought Brillac.

The truth.

"Ms. Uhura," said Brillac, "as your position in the long range sensor array undoubtedly makes you aware, there are dangers in the neutral zone at the moment. We think the origins of this sphere are connected to them."

Ms. Uhura swallowed. "I told Patrick and Toshi all I know about the sphere. My brother found it on a junk heap on an asteroid. I don't know anything more."

Through his light empathic connection, Novasch could tell she didn't know anything more, not about the sphere.

"And do you happen to know the whereabouts of your brother?" Brillac said. "And more specifically about the location of Rhinea."

Ms. Uhura squared her jaw - this was despite how terribly afraid she felt. It was not fear for herself, it was fear for Jabari. "No," she said.

_She is not lying,_ thought Novasch to Brillac. _How terrible it is to be human and without telepathic bonds to one's kinsmen._

Straightening, Brillac said, "Thank you, Ms. Uhura, for your cooperation."

"Uhura," said Patrick stepping up to the Lieutenant. "Here's your brother's sphere."

She took it from him, glancing down at it only briefly before looking back to Novasch and Brillac. "Are we done?" she asked.

"Yes," said Brillac. They would be monitoring all of her communications, of course, but that would not involve another face to face meeting.

"If we discover anything regarding your brother's well being and whereabouts, we will let you know," said Novasch, genuinely moved by her plight. He tried to transmit a comfortable wave of friendliness, but it seemed to upset her more for some reason.

She turned and bolted from the room.

Patrick's and Toshi's alarm spilled into Novasch's consciousness.

"What was that about, Novasch?" said Patrick. He was extremely irritable. It pleased Novasch greatly that Patrick would be irritable before being afraid.

"It was rather unpleasant," said Toshi looking at the door. "It's a shame she misunderstood your intentions." Toshi wasn't afraid either; he was just confused. Patrick accepted what Novasch was; Toshi denied it. This episode made that denial difficult.

"Perhaps it would be better if this whole incident was forgotten," said Brillac.

_What? _Novasch looked at his companion.

Brillac looked at him. _You value your friendship. Keep it._

"Forgotten?" said Patrick looking sharply at Novasch, the irritation flaring to anger.

"Forgive me," said Novasch, concentrating on Toshi and then Patrick.

"Forgive what?" asked Toshi.

"Strange how Uhura left so quickly," said Patrick looking at the door, his anger melting away with his memories of the conversation.

Novasch trembled. Maybe it was T'Quilloc's absense, but he suddenly felt more fear than he had since joining the guard.

x x x x

Nyota's legs pumped furiously beneath her as she bolted from the computer science building and across the campus lawn, only slowing as she reached the dorms. Novasch's cheerful promise to share any information with her haunted her to the core. It was almost as unsettling as not knowing where Jabari was.

...well, at least she knew he wasn't in the custody of the Gray Guard.

She blinked. That was why Jabari had kept his whereabouts a secret - so the guard could not interrogate her. She'd felt Novasch ascertaining the truthfulness of her statements, felt that connection she felt with Spock. He _knew_ she wasn't lying.

She swallowed. It hadn't been that bad actually. Maybe Jabari would be safer going to the guard? Just get it over with, tell them the truth...

And then it hit her...it wasn't Jabari they were looking for. It was Rhinnea.

She remembered his warning to her. "You ask Rhin about her past and so help me, I'm dropping you off at the nearest freighter depot."

Nyota couldn't bring herself to believe that Rhin was in anyway behind the ships disappearing in the neutral zone. She'd been with her brother for years now. But the guard must think otherwise.

Closing her eyes she murmured, "Oh, Jabari, what have you gotten yourself into?"

x x x x

On the _Equus'_ bridge Jabari checked the ship readouts. The recent seismic activity didn't seem to be affecting any of their critical systems. Power and life support were still good. The shielding Rhin had designed to hide them from scanners was up and running. Not that he imagined anyone would be looking for them out here in the middle of nowhere.

Hearing the tell tale rumble of a quake, Jabari braced his hands on the monitor. Delta-A 930 heaved beneath him. He glanced at the chronometer - it was 19:30. That was maybe the 10th quake today, and was number 4 in the last hour. He checked the instruments; that one was a 5 on the Richter scale. They were getting stronger..

Shaking his head, he hit the comm button. "Kanel, you there?"

There was the sound of static, and then a breathless, "Yeah, Boss." There was a squeal of unsuppressed Ferrengi glee. "You would not believe the latinum vein we've tapped into -"

"It will be there tomorrow," said Jabari. "I want you, Denil, and Tan back at the ship. It will be nightfall in half an hour."

There were collective grumbles from the team.

"Boss, we've got lights; we can stay out here all night!" said Kanel.

"Negative," said Jabari. "I want you and the equipment safely stowed aboard overnight. If the quake knocks out the lights there is the risk of fire and damage to the equipment. And then you will not be mining anymore latinum, will you?"

There was grumbling, and then Kanel said, "Just 15 more minutes?"

Jabari sighed; damn Ferrengi's and their work ethic. "Just 15, but I'll be counting."

There were hoots on the other end and Jabari released the button.

Hitting the comm release button, he tried logging onto the subspace net, but all he got was static. That was odd.

He hit the ship intercom. "Rhin, I've lost our subspace connection. You working on the receiver?"

"No, Captain. I'll be right there."

Not waiting for her, on a hunch Jabari began running tests on the non-critical systems. By the time Rhin was on the bridge his jaw was tight and his brow furrowed. "It looks like we've lost the transporter beam too," he said. "Did something get knocked offline?"

Rhin came over and hovered over his shoulder, looking at the readouts above him.

Outside there was a fierce rumble. Spinning in his chair, Jabari caught Rhin by the waist just as the ship rocked and she was about to hit the floor. She lay across his lap, gasping, as the quake continued to buckle the ground and sensors on the _Equus_ went haywire, hatches rattled, and everything not bolted down fell to the floor.

The earth stilled. Rhin still lay across his lap, shaking. Maybe Jabari was a little, too.

"Hey," he said stroking her back, feeling the delicate tips of vertebrae beneath his fingers. "It's alright."

Swallowing, she got shakily to her feet, her long black hair askew, her eyes not meeting his.

And hell, the rest of his life was in fuckin' shambles, so why not this?

Standing up next to her, knowing he was too close, he brushed a tendril of loose hair aside.

Her black eyes met his.

His every intention was to kiss her, but before he could she leaned into him, and pressed her head against his chest. He felt delicate fingers just above his hips.

She was so fragile, so vulnerable. Sighing, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tighter to him.

"I hear your heart in your chest," she whispered.

"Hmmmm..." was all Jabari could manage, his mind filled with how soft she was, above those dense muscles and bone, how good her hair smelled, how long it had been.

Releasing one arm, he brought a hand up underneath her chin and lifted her face to his.

She didn't look at him. Swallowing she said, "Jabari, I am...defiled...unclean..."

His stomach clenched. He understood her meaning, and of course had guessed she had probably been sexually assaulted. But he did not know that in Romulan culture to be raped brought more shame to the victim than the perpetrator - it was a concept he associated with primitive peoples.

He shook his head. "No, baby, no." Not meeting his eyes, she tried to pull her head away. "Rhin, look at me," said Jabari. It came out sharper than maybe he meant it, more an order than the request of a lover. But he was furious, not at her, but on her behalf. And maybe she needed that authority in his voice, because her eyes turned back to him.

He sucked in his lips and then said, "Don't ever...ever...talk...or even think about yourself that way again." Pulling her chin back around, he said, "Do you understand me?"

She looked at him and nodded, and she was so beautiful, and so close. He kissed her, long and slow and deep. His hand fell from her chin and he felt her catch it, pull it up and match her fingers to his. There was a low murmur like the purr of an engine from her chest.

He pulled back from her lips, biting her bottom lip a little as he went. The purr intensified. He opened his eyes to hers, locked on his. She brought their hands up to her face, then took hold of his index finger and pulled it into her mouth and sucked.

You did not have to be Vulcan or Romulan to appreciate that. Her mouth was so hot, just moist, not wet, and taut - and Jabari wasn't thinking about his _finger_ being sucked. He backed into his chair and sat down, pulling her with him so she sat sideways on his lap, the weight of her in just the right place...

Rhin pulled his finger out slowly, and Jabari winced and throbbed beneath her.

"You do not purr, and yet you are aroused," said Rhin as though analyzing a space anomaly.

Smiling just a little, being sure to keep his eyes locked on her, he took her own hand teased the tip of her index finger with his tongue. Closing her eyes, she made a little gasp like noise and that purr just buzzed through her body.

He smiled. He could play this game all night.

A few minutes later they hadn't moved from the chair, but Jabari's hands were moving all over Rhin in long slow strokes, and she was gently nipping at his bottom lip. Then they heard the tell tale rumble of a quake on the move. Jabari wrapped his arms tight around Rhin and pulled her close. She grabbed the back of the chair as the ship shook beneath them and the sensors went haywire.

The shaking ship shook some sense into Jabari. Spinning them around in his chair, he glanced at the monitor. 5 on the Richter scale again. And that was quake 5 -

Rhin nuzzled on his ear lobe as the vibrations ceased.

"Rhin," Jabari said, "how far apart have the last 5 quakes been?" She pulled back a bit, "Exactly 15 mintues apart."

Jabari froze. "Does that seem right, that they could be so regular?"

Shrugging, she nuzzled his ear and whispered, "I am an engineer, not a geologist."

Swallowing, Jabari looked at the sensors. "Subspace is still offline."

In his lap Rhin stiffened. "Yes."

Her eyes met his. "I should check that out," she said pulling quickly from his lap.

"Yeah," said Jabari, pressing the communicator. "Kanel are you packed up?"

There was silence. Could the short range radio be out as well?

"Kanel, are you packed up?" He said.

There was the buzz of static. And then the radio cracked and Kanel said, "Errr...no. Really, that quake was nothing, we can keep going -"

"Shut up and pack up your gear now!" said Jabari. There was a buzz on the line. Jabari held his breath. His word or latinum; which was the Ferrengi going to take? "Understood," said Kanel. Jabari heard him giving orders to Denil and Tan. Switching off the communicator, Jabari started surveying the non-critical systems.

"Rhin," Jabari said, "I think we've lost transporter capability."

At the station across from him, head bowed, Rhin said, "Something is jamming our subspace access and transporter."

"Something?" said Jabari.

"Yes, I don't know what -"

"Could it also be responsible for the earthquakes - I don't know, altering the magnetic field, distorting the planet's natural subspace signature?" Jabari asked.

Rhin lifted her head, her eyes not meeting Jabari's. "Even they wouldn't be able to do that - not without massive improvements to the drill," she whispered. "Of course, if it's been a long time -"

Jabari felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Not bothering to ask who _they_ were, Jabari said, "But it's theoretically possible?"

"Yes, but-"

"Start charting a course for off world." Hitting the comm he said, "Kanel, drop everything. We're getting out of here."

Not waiting for a response, Jabari started to operate the _Equus_' impulse controls.

"Boss, what about the latinum?" Kanel whined.

"Leave it," said Jabari.

"Captain," said Rhin, "I cannot maintain the cloak while you boost impulse engines. We're too close to the planet. I'll need the power to counteract gravitational pull."

"Understood," said Jabari. The impulse engines started to whine. Jabari lifted the ship and pulled up her landing gear.

Turning the _Equus_ in his team's direction, he launched her forward.

"Open the hatch!" he shouted to Rhin.

"Done."

Through the view screen he saw Kanel, Denil and Tan coming forward, large cargo crates in their arms. Figures they'd take the latinum and leave his sifters behind.

He was annoyed. And then he saw them stop and look up back beyond the _Equus_. Actually _dropping _the crates, Denil and Tan sprinted towards the ship, Kanel struggling behind. Suddenly very afraid, he shouted to Rhin. "Shields up! Shields up - everything you've got to them!"

He heard the hatch open.

"Come on, guys," Jabari said under his breath.

"Ay, Captain," said Rhin.

Phaser fire peppered around the _Equus_. And then the small ship abruptly careened into the dirt. Jabari and Rhin's bodies slammed into their controls and sensors started beeping madly.

"They just grazed us" said Rhin.

That was just a graze? It felt more like a direct hit.

"Working on diverting more power to shields," said Rhin.

"_We're in!" _shouted Kanel over the speaker.

"Lifting off!" said Jabari, switiching his view screen to the stern. "Get to battle stations!"

Pulling the little ship aloft, Jabari yelled, ""Hang on!" and twisted his boat sideways. He heard bodies slam against the walls down the hall.

There wasn't much in this part of Delta-930, so basically it was a race to space and to warp, with Jabari trying to make the boat as small a target as possible as they darted between the red ammonia clouds.

"The scope isn't reading anything!" shouted Denil from the aft gun. "But there's at least two W382 military grade shuttles out there!"

W382s were no longer used by Starfleet. They had to belong to pirates.

"Switch to cameras!" shouted Jabari. "And let me know where they are!"

"7 o'clock aft!" shouted Tan.

"1 and 2 o'clock aft!" shouted Denil.

Shit.

Kanel barrelled onto the bridge. The ship rocked with the ricochet of her own weapons.

"I hit one!" shouted Denil. "Fuck...it should have blown."

"Incoming fire!" screamed Tan. "Shields 3 o'clock! Shields, shields!"

Metal screamed, and lights blinked.

"Shields are holding! But impulse engines are failing!" said Rhin.

The _Equus_ fell to ground. It was all Jabari could do to keep her out of a nose dive. Jabari's body hit the control panel as they slammed into the ground and skidded along Delta's rocky surface.

The entire hold went dark, no lights flashed, the cameras to the outside went dead, and there was absolute silence except for a groan from Kanel.

Lifting his head, Jabari caught Rhin's wide eyes.

"Denil, Tan, are you all right!" Jabari shouted as he struggled to kick in the auxiliary power.

Tan's voice echoed through the ship, "Yeah."

"Still here," said Denil. "Scopes are dead."

"We're dead..." groaned Kanel.

The auxiliary kicked in all of sudden. Lights went on, and a few beeps sounded. The view screens began to flicker blurred images.

"I can fix the impulse engines and warp drive from the engine room," Rhin said jumping from her chair.

Not that that would be fast enough, but Jabari wasn't going to die without a fight.

The view screen's image sharpened. He prepared to see their attackers swooping in for a kill, or to at least confirm they were dead. Instead they flew off into the distance.

"That's weird," said Denil.

That was really weird. Jabari magnified the image on his view screen, and swallowed. In the distance there was what looked like a space elevator hanging from a platform in the sky.

"What the Hell?" said Jabari.

"I don't like the looks of that, Boss," said Kanel standing beside him.

"Hurry, Rhin!" Jabari shouted, eyes locked to the view screen. From above the platform came a flash of light as something shot to the ground. The ships that had been firing upon them were nowhere to be seen.

"Oh, shit," said Tan.

"Impulse engines online!" Rhin said.

Grasping the controls, Jabari pulled the _Equus_ from the ground and headed to the red ammonia clouds overhead.

x x x x

The warbird slammed from warp into Delta system.

"View screen, full magnification!" Golarth roared.

And then he growled. It was there, but at full magnification it was still only a tiny speck of black, a laser burn of darkness in the navy of the exosphere.

Two point five hours ago they'd caught a shuttle. On board was a Romulan couple with the strange tribal markings of the pirates sabotaging ships in the neutral zone. In desperation the man had told Golarth their story. The woman was pregnant and apparently the leader of the pirates did not allow children aboard his vessel. They'd stolen the ship from Captain Nero to return to Romulus and allow their child to be born and live. He hadn't told them that Captain Nero would be at Delta A-930. The Klingons had stolen that from the shuttle logs.

Golarth ordered the couple sent to Klingon Prison Planet. A suitable end for all deserters and traitors.

"Captain," said Tarnak, the ship's engineer. "We must move the ship at once. Delta A-930...is collapsing."

"No!" roared Golarth spinning to Tarnak. "Call in reinforcements, we will engage!"

"Communications are inoperable," Tenuk said.

"What is that?" said the helmsman.

Climbing out of Delta A-930 was a small ship of Federation design. It hovered between the warbird and the tear of blackness. Beneath it the planet crumbled. Golarth's eyes went wide. Was it the work of a weapon?

For a moment it looked like the tiny ship would fall into the sinking planet, but then its warp engines lit and it disappeared. The tear in the blackness also vanished.

"The Romulan vessel is gone!" said the helmsman.

"Follow it!" said Golarth.

"Sir," said the helmsman, "I can't get a reading on the Romulan vessel's trajectory. We're too far and the anomaly -"

Storming over to him, Golarth cuffed the helmsman across the back of the neck.

The helmsman's head cracked against the monitor in front of him. Raising himself, he barked, "But we could follow the small Federation ship. Perhaps it is aligned with them...or has readings, information -"

"Do it!" Golarth roared.

x x x x

**A/N:**

Next chapter Jabari and Spock. If you read and enjoyed, please leave a review. Reviews really do help keep me going.


	16. Tangled Yarns

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to beta Notes from The Classroom. Check out her latest "Crossing the Equator" in my faves.

**Tangled Yarns**

The Equus launched out of the atmosphere, and what had looked like a space elevator was replaced by a black tear in the navy blue of the exosphere. Jagged and warped, it looked like darkness itself was cracking through the fabric of reality.

"Do you think..." said Kanel.

He didn't have to finish. A thousand spacer stories came back to Jabari. Spider ships, lightning storms, and unexplained disappearances.

"I'm not sticking around to find out," said Jabari. Pressing the comm he shouted, "Rhin!"

"Almost...almost..." she panted.

"Um, boss..." said Kanel.

He pointed to a camera readout from the side of the little ship opposite the _thing_, but much closer.

"A Klingon warbird," shouted Denil.

"We need shields!" said Tan.

"Negative, negative!" said Rhin. "We need all power for warp."

The ship seemed to sink, and Tan said, "The planet! It's...collapsing!"

Rhin muttered something low, there was the a loud bang, warning lights went off, the gravity wasn't there, and the stars blurred.

Denil and Tan whooped. Kanel started making this strange Ferrengi giggling noise and Jabari laughed. Even Warbirds didn't scare him when they were in warp...the Equus was .95 faster than a Klingon's ship highest warp capability.

"Good job, Rhin!" he shouted.

There was no response.

Clicking out of his safety harness, Jabari kicked off out of his chair and from the bridge as fast as he could go in zero G.

x x x x

"I'm really fine," said Rhin, floating loosely in Jabari's arms. They were in Jabari's quarters. She'd been unconscious when Jabari had found her in the engine room; now her eyes were open but unfocused.

"I don't think so," said Jabari. Even as he said it her eyes slid closed.

The tricorder in Denil's hand started beeping. "The tricorder says it's an epidural hematoma."

"What do we do?" asked Jabari. Denil had medic training. Not much, but more than anyone else.

"In a Bajoran or human we'd drain the blood with a localized transporter - fast. Then we'd have to find someone who could operate and repair the vein or artery that's ruptured. But she's Romulan," said Denil. "Damned if I or anyone else knows. Romulans are even more secretive than the Vulcans."

"What does it say to do for Vulcans?" Jabari asked.

"Leave them alone," said Denil looking at the tricorder. "They go into a natural healing trance."

Jabari's mind spun with possibilities. Where could they take her where they could get care - discreet and fast. Someone who wouldn't turn them into the Gray Guard...or...His stomach dropped...the Gray Guard...they wanted her alive. They were Vulcans, they'd assure that she got care, the best. But then what?

Kanel's voice clicked over the intercom. "Boss, something's wrong with the warp engines. And...umm...remember that Klingon ship?"

"Do what you can," said Jabai putting a hand on Denil's shoulder. Even surrendering to the Guard wasn't an option if the Klingons got them first. He pushed off for the bridge.

x x x x

They were still at warp, but they were losing speed. Jabari looked at the readout showing the Klingon vessel edging closer.

Red lights were blinking on the warp engine readouts. Floating over it, Tan, the backup engineer, was scratching his head. "The warp drive is fine - we got plenty of power. But I think we blew a coolant conduit to the main thruster. Maybe the same conduit that hit Rhin. I can fix it, trouble is we'll have to go out of warp to do it."

Jabari looked at Kanel and saw the Ferrengi's eyes meeting his own.

Tan took a breath. "We're going to have to shut down anyway, or risk blowing the whole engine."

Jabari looked down at the radar readout. How long would they have until the Klingon vessel was on them? A few minutes, maybe. There really was no choice though.

"Kanel, you and Denil need to get on the aft guns," said Jabari. "I'll steer and try to manage the guns at the stern."

Swallowing, Kanel said, "Aye." Shaking his head and trembling, he said, "Weird about that planet collapsing in on itself. I didn't know seismic activity could do that."

Jabari stared at him shocked. Didn't he get it? It wasn't _weird_, it was a weapon...and that dark evil looking thing in the sky was behind it.

Saving that conversation for later, Jabari turned to Tan and said, "Fix it. We'll try to buy you time."

Nodding Tan kicked off through the air, Kanel close behind. "Let me know when you're in position!" Jabari shouted after them.

"Aye, Sir!" they shouted.

Jabari belted himself down to the helm and stared out at the blur of stars. His heart was pounding in his ears and he could feel his pulse beat in the side of his neck. They were almost as good as dead.

...and Hell, the galaxy was, well, maybe not as good as dead, but things were about to change. That one, nasty looking ship destroyed a planet. Destroyed a planet! He didn't know anything in the arsenals of the Federation, Klingons, Romulans or anyone else that could do that.

Did the Federation know?

"In position," said Kanel.

He thought of his parents' home in Nairobi, of his mother and father, his two sisters. Of Ny smiling at him and baiting him.

His whole life...an embarrassment to everything his diplomat mother and Starfleet father and sister had ever worked for. He'd sure let them down.

"In position," said Denil.

He couldn't let them down again. Not this time. It wasn't about him anymore, it was about Earth, and the galaxy, everything he ever cared about and loved. He had to let someone know what had happened out here.

Fingers flying over the console next to him he set the ship to prepare its black box, the recordings it kept of every minute of operation, for transmittal. It would have the seismic readouts from Delta-A 930, and all the various scanner and camera recordings, maybe Starfleet could piece it all together...make a doom machine of their own. Mutual Assured Destruction and all that. He scowled. If he broadcast it out over an open channel someone else could get the readouts...

He needed a secure channel, but didn't have anything that even a determined Klingon hacker couldn't decipher.

...except...

He had the key to Nyota's encryption device, the one she used to contact Spock. He could send all his data via that code.

"In position," said Tan.

...and put his sister in danger of Klingon agents? Surely they'd be able to follow the subspace signature.

He put his hand on the warp engine controls.

There was someone else who had the same encryption device...and because of the ship logs Jabari had his direct line.

x x x x

On the bridge of the Farragut Spock was studying some unusual readouts from the vicinity of Delta A-930. Beside him the communications officer Lieutenant Shannon Kwai abruptly stood up and turned to Captain Pike sitting in the command chair.

"Sir," she said, "we are receiving a general distress call...but..."

Spock turned to look at the captain, but caught Lieutenant Kwai's eyes on him. "...Lieutenant- Commander Spock...it's coming across your personal comm number...it's for you..."

**A/N:**

Whew! Writing this story is exhausting - it's just so intense.

If you read and enjoyed please leave a review...it helps keep me going.


	17. Ties that Bind

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to beta Notes from the Classroom. Check out her latest, "Crossing the Equator" in my faves for more romantic Spock and Uhura goodness.

**Ties that Bind**

The morning after her encounter with Novasch, Nyota walked across campus to the communication array lab. Approaching the door of the computer sciences building she restrained a shudder. She should have gone around the long way...just the sight of the door brought back such horrible memories.

The worst part about the whole thing was the sense of betrayal. Patrick and Toshi were two of Spock's and her dearest friends. How could they have done that to her?

The thought had barely crossed her consciousness when the two men themselves stepped out the computer science building doors. Seeing her they both smiled, waved and walked in her direction. Nyota stopped in her tracks in shock. What was wrong with them? Why were they acting as though nothing had happened?

"Uhura!" Patrick said jovially, "Shame that you had to leave so suddenly last night!"

"Yes, yes," said Toshi. "It would have been wonderful if you'd remained to help us practice our Vulcan with Novasch and his associate Brillac."

"After he interrogated me?" said Nyota, her eyes going wide, her fists balling at her sides.

"What?" said Patrick.

"Pardon?" said Toshi.

"When he was asking all those questions about my brother...and I could feel him touching my mind! He said it wasn't an interrogation," she spat, "But that was _exactly_ what it was."

Patrick blinked. "He barely spoke two words to you." Rubbing his temple he looked down, "I can't even remember what those two words were -"

"You must be mistaken," said Toshi. Starting to tremble the little man said, "Novasch would never do something like that. Novasch is a friend."

There was an awkward moment of silence between the three of them. Patrick looked between Nyota and Toshi.

"Are you alright, Uhura?" Patrick said softly.

"She is fine," said Toshi nodding. "She is just confused, _neh._"

"I am not confused," said Nyota through gritted teeth.

Bowing sharply, Toshi turned and walked away.

Patrick stood looking at Nyota for a moment. He shook his head. "I...I don't know..."

He looked after Toshi, and back to Nyota, his ruddy complexion pale, his face slack. His voice uncharacteristically hushed he said. "I really don't remember anything..." Turning back to Uhura he said, "I'm sorry, I have to go after Toshi."

And before Nyota could say another word he went chasing after his friend.

x x x x

In the communications array lab, Nyota pushed the ear bud closer to her head. There were some unusual subspace signals coming from the Delta system, but she could not fathom what they were. She hadn't encountered anything like them in all the years she'd studied natural and unnatural subspace frequencies.

She made a note in her log.

And shook her head. The conversation a few hours earlier with Toshi and Patrick still was at the forefront of her mind. It was in its own way as disturbing as her run in with Novasch. Toshi's dismissal...and Patrick's plaintive "I really don't remember anything..."

Had Spock once told her about Vulcan telepathic abilities being used to make people forget? She gritted her teeth; if Novasch had hurt Patrick and Toshi as well as Spock...

Feeling a tap on her shoulder, she spun in her chair.

Commander Anna Rodriguez stood behind her; the normally warm woman's face was flat and unreadable.

"Lieutenant Uhura," she said. "I need you to come with me."

"Yes, Sir," said Nyota, shaken by the woman's unusual demeanor.

Leading Nyota out of the lab, the Commander did not speak a word until they were in her office and the door whooshed shut behind them.

Sitting down at her desk the Commander sighed. "Nyota, you're one of my best people, but I'm putting your security clearance on hold, by order of Starfleet Intelligence."

Nyota took an unvoluntary step forward. Catching herself she snapped to attention. "Yes, Sir." She licked her lip. Focusing on the wall behind the Commander she said, "Can you tell me what this is regarding?"

Sighing, the Commander said, "Well, I suspect they're reviewing your brother's rather colorful...hobbies. I can't afford to lose you, and frankly I'm pissed that they're taking you off my team, but it's out of my hands."

"I understand, Sir," said Nyota, her heart falling. Her career was lost - as was her brother. Her heart stopped and she'd swallowed. He'd met Spock on Letellia 12 and in Nairobi. Would SI find out - should she tell them before they did. She swallowed. Would Jabari bring Spock down too?

x x x x

Spock stared at the communications officer. In his peripheral vision he could see all eyes on the bridge, including Captain Pike's and Number One's on him.

Who could be contacting him with a general distress call in the neutral zone? Nyota was thankfully safe on Earth. Perhaps his parents - a diplomatic assignment gone awry? He felt no distress through the bond.

"It's from the Equus," said the Communications officer. Spock's jaw clenched.

"It's registered as an Earth ship - a B 398. But what is it doing this far in the neutral zone..." 

Spock's narrowed his eyes. Only Starfleet vessels or outlaws would venture into the neutral zone.

"A friend of yours, Spock?" said Number One coming to stand by Kwai.

"No," said Spock.

Standing from his command chair, Pike said, "Well, they've got your comm number, but if it's a general distress call it's for all of us. Put it on screen."

"Aye, Sir," said Kwai.

Spinning around and rising from his own chair, Spock watched as the view screen flickered to life. 

"Hi, Spock," said Jabari, the brown skin of his shaved head gleaming even in the low light of his bridge. His face was set in a tight smile.

"How did you get my comm number?" said Spock.

"I'm sure you'll put it together," said Jabari, "but as this _emergency_ broadcast is invaribly being listened in on, I'm not telling. Do you still have your encryption device?

"I fail to see how this is relevant -" said Spock.

"What is the meaning of this?" said Pike.

Focusing on Pike, Jabari said, "Delta A-930 was just destroyed, by a _weapon_, Sir. In just under a few minutes. I was there. I want to send you everything from my ship's black box so that you can try and figure out what the fuck it was, because I sure as Hell don't know. And I'd prefer to send it over an encrypted channel."

Spock tilted his head. "The possibility of a scenario you describe -"

Cutting him off, Number One said, "Spock, do you have the encryption device?"

"Affirmative," said Spock.

Hitting a few buttons, Jabari said, "Good, I'm sending it over that channel, but you'll have to change the date signature - I'm sure you'll figure out what date you'll need to change it to."

Spock blinked. His transmission to Nyota when she came to visit him. Jabari must have intercepted and decoded it somehow.

Lieutenant Kwai said, "Sir, we are receiving an encrypted transmission."

Stepping closer to the screen Number One said, "If this is a hoax Mr..."

"Jabari," said Nyota's brother not looking at the screen. "_Captain_ Jabari." He began frantically pushing controls not in view. "Fuck. Warbird closing in," he said.

"Warbird?" said Pike. "Where are you? What is your position?"

Not looking at Pike, Jabari said, "Too far from you."

"I've calculated it already, Sir," said the Farragut's helmsman.

"Head that way, maximum warp," said Pike turning to the helm. Spock heard the hum of the engines deepen. Turning back to the screen where Jabari was frantically flipping switches, Pike said, "Do you think Klingons are responsible for the destruction of Delta A-930."

Jabari turned back to the screen, he sucked in a breath, and his hands stilled. "No, Sir. No I don't. I think they _saw_ it...but there were other ships there, we thought they were pirates -"

"_Incoming, incoming!"_ buzzed a comm on Jabari's small vessel.

"Taking evasive maneuvers," Jabari shouted.

"We're heading that way," said Pike. "Hang tight."

The view screen rocked, went black and then flickered to life again.

"Spock!" Jabari said, "Are you still receiving my transmission?"

Answering for him, Lieutenant Kwai said, "Yes, sir."

"_Another Warbird!" _said another voice on Jabari's ship.

"_We've got one down here too!" _came yet another cry.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," said Jabari.

"_The warp drive back online!" _said someone. _"Get us out of here!"_

Could a ship the size of Jabari's achieve warp and access subspace at the same time?

"Negative, negative! " said Jabari. "Spock let me know when you've got the whole transmission!"

The little ship rocked again, and the view screen went to static, but the noises from the little vessel continued.

"_We've been hit! We've been hit!"_

Spock went over to the communication station; the encrypted message was 98% received.

Over the intercom came one of Jabari's crew's voices. _"What the Hell is that?"_

"_It's the thing!"_ someone answered.

"Helm, how long until we reach them?" said Pike.

"6 minutes sir," said the helmsman.

Spock was certain he heard a collective intake of breath from the humans around him.

The communication station blinked. Turning back to the view screen Spock said, "Transmission is complete."

But the screen was already black.

"3 minutes to destination," said the helm.

"Signal red alert," said Pike.

Pike's order shook the bridge from a stupor. Everywhere around him the crew sprang into action, but Spock found himself still staring at the black screen. He and Jabari were hardly friends. Up until a few minutes ago Spock didn't even have much respect for him - but if this wasn't a hoax...Jabari, who possessed an unprincipled, untrained, and undisciplined mind had possibly knowingly given his life for the sake of the Federation.

Tilting his head, he turned to return to his station and found Number One's eyes on him.

Nodding, he passed her and took his seat.

"30 seconds to destination," said the helmsman.

"Bring us out of warp," said Pike.

"Aye, Sir."

The view screen flickered to the blur of stars. The drone of the engines dropped in volume, the stars stilled, and suddenly they were looking at a large black tangled mass hurtling towards them.

"Take evasive action!" said Pike.

The Farragut dropped out of the path of the object.

"What is it?" said Pike.

Looking down at his readouts, Spock said, "It appears to be the remains of a Klingon Warbird."

"There's more," said Number One. "A 398 couldn't destroy a Warbird!"

"Warbirds," said Spock. "Approximately three."

"Any remains of 398 to be found?" said Pike.

"Negative," said Spock.

"Can you get a read out on its last trajectory," said Pike.

"Negative," said Spock. "A great deal of energy was expended in destroying the Warbirds and it has interfered on the Equus' energy signature."

"Do you think the Warbirds were able to trace the call that he put into us?" said Number One.

"Sir!" said the helm, "I've got 3 Warbirds materializing off our starboard bow."

"I think we're about to find out," said Pike.

**A/N:**

I took a break from this over the weekend and wrote a short humorous piece called "You Know You've Been Drugged If..." Check it out for something completely different. But please stick around to leave a review if you read and enjoyed this.


	18. Entanglements

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to Beta Notes from the Classroom. Check out her latest, "Crossing the Equator" in my faves for happier Spock/Nyota (and more angsty Number One/Pike).

**Entanglements**

"Captain," the communications officer said, "we're being hailed."

Pike tensed. They weren't firing first and asking questions later. Considering it was Klingons they were dealing with, this could only mean one thing.

"They want something," Pike said.

"It is possible that the Klingon vessels that were destroyed were able to discern who Captain Jabari was communicating with," said Spock.

"They might have been able to get out a message in time," said Number One.

"Agreed," said Pike. "On screen, Lieutenant."

The view screen flickered and a Klingon Captain Pike had never seen before immediately began to bellow. "I am Lorag, son of Lor. Captain Christopher Pike, you are responsible for the death of Golarth, son of Gon, and you will pay!"

A few minutes ago when the helm had announced the appearance of Warbirds, Pike had felt a healthy amount of fear. He'd felt the rush of adrenaline and the onset of heightened focus that always came in these situations. It was the kind of fear he was accustomed to; it hadn't rattled him. But the Klingon's statement caught Pike off guard – and evoked a feeling he rarely felt. Dread.

"Golarth is dead?" Pike said. Golarth wasn't precisely a friend, but Pike respected him. He was one of the few Klingons who had pushed for cooperation with the Federation to resolve the crisis brewing in the neutral zone. For his pains Golarth had been treated like a dimwitted child by Starfleet and Vulcan Intelligence, and Pike was not proud of it.

The Klingon roared. "Do not attempt to sway me with feigned ignorance! You will pay, now!"

The screen went black.

"All hands to battle stations," said Pike. "Lieutenant Kwai, put in a distress call to Starfleet."

"Sir," called the helm, "two more Warbirds just materialized off the port bow."

Well, fuck.

x x x x

In her bed Nyota opened her eyes. The building above her head had just _moaned._

"Gaila? What was that?" Nyota whispered into the darkness.

From the bed next to her Gaila mumbled, "I don't know. Maybe you entered the wrong access code."

Turning on the reading lamp beside her, Nyota turned over to her roommate.

Clutching her pillow between her arms and legs, Gaila was lying with her eyes still closed.

"Gaila, are you awake...did you hear that?"

Eyes not even fluttering, Gaila said, "Not awake. Didn't hear anything."

Nyota sighed. Gaila was talking in her sleep again. Nyota had had several seemingly almost normal conversations with Gaila late at night; it wasn't until morning when Gaila had no recollection of their chats that Nyota understood what was happening.

But she said she hadn't heard anything. Maybe Nyota had only been dreaming?

Turning off her lamp, she settled back into her bed and tried to get back to sleep. Almost immediately she knew it was helpless. Every neuron along her spine seemed to be humming with electricity.

With a groan she reached for her PADD in the dark. Thumbing it on, she began reviewing some Trill verb conjugations.

She willed her mind to focus, but more and more, the words seemed to blur and her mind to drift. She found herself thinking of Spock...and Jabari.

Jabari, Jabari, Jabari...no matter what he had done she still loved him. He was still her brother. Their parents' dual careers in Starfleet and the Diplomatic Corp had meant they'd spent most of their childhoods in motion. They were close. And Jabari, sometimes more than her parents, was always there for her. She remembered him chasing off bullies. She smiled wryly. And potential boyfriends.

As angry as she was at him for costing her her security clearance, she was still, more than anything, worried about him.

No matter what petty laws he had broken, she believed in his heart he was good, and brave - and in his own weird way, principled. He would die to protect what he believed in.

Where was he? Was he alright? She felt the hot prick of tears in her eyes and clutched her PADD more tightly in the dark.

"Ny, are you alright?" Gaila asked.

"I..." Nyota stammered. Wiping a tear from her face, she said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"I might not even be awake," said Gaila ,slipping from her bed and over to Nyota. "If I don't remember this tomorrow we'll know."

Sitting down next to her ,she wrapped an arm around Nyota's shoulders.

"You don't walk in your sleep," said Nyota, wiping her nose.

"That's true," said Gaila. "What's wrong?"

Nyota gritted her teeth, angry at herself. "Everything. Jabari's missing. Spock's away. I've lost my security clearance and I may be watching my career being sucked down the vortex - and I still am worried sick for my brother..."

"It's okay," said Gaila.

"Some tough Starfleet officer I am," said Nyota.

"You are tough," said Gaila.

"Yeah, right," said Nyota. "And...I just...have this feeling of foreboding...of emptiness." She took a deep breath. Gaila was one of the few people in the Galaxy she could talk about this with - in fact, Gaila had been the first to convince her what she felt might be real. Quantum Entanglement, Gaila called it, not a telepathic bond, but an empathic one. A human bond.

"Spock?" said Gaila.

Nyota took a deep breath. "Yeah, I think so. No emails from him though -"

Gaila's arm around her tightened. "He's okay."

"Yeah," Nyota said, because she knew it was true. "But for how long?"

Nyota took a strangled breath. There was nothing she could do. About anything. Leaning into Gaila's shoulder she said, "I'm going to try and get some sleep now."

"Okay," said Gaila, giving her a little squeeze.

Nyota turned off her PADD. Maybe it had been the cry, but she did find herself slipping into a light doze - although she didn't feel like she was sleeping. But she had to be sleeping; she kept seeing long dark narrow tunnels moving before her eyes. And then the tunnels opened and she could feel her muscles tensing and relaxing, as though she were fighting an invisible foe. Except _she_ wasn't fighting. She saw outside herself, and realized who she had been - and that he was in terrible danger.

"Spock!" she cried into the dream tunnels.

Gasping, she bolted upright, awoken by her own voice.

x x x x

The metal above Spock's head groaned. It had been 6.56 minutes since the Klingon vessels had engaged the _Farragut_. In that time the bombardment of photon torpedoes had been almost constant. Now, except for the sound of the _Farragut's_ impulse engines, and the protest of metal buttresses flexed to their limit, there was an almost eerie quiet.

"Shields still holding at 25%," said the helm. "But warp engines have been knocked offline, and subspace transponders are down."

"Why aren't they firing anymore?" said Lieutenant Kwai.

"They are preparing to board," said Number One, voicing aloud Spock's own supposition.

"We have something they want, or we'd be dead." said Pike. "They need us to drop our shields–and they're afraid we won't take another direct hit."

"That seems the most likely scenario," Spock said. As always during battle situations he felt hyper alert, almost _good_.

"They'll analyze our shields, find some place where they can hit us without taking us down. And when they do we won't be able to hold them off," said Number One.

"Agreed," said Pike. Sitting in the command chair, staring up at the blank view screen, Pike balled his hand into a fist. "Spock, how much longer until help arrives?"

Spock's brain whirled with the logistics of diverting a battle class starship, the most likely positions of other Federation vessels, and the _Farragut's_ own current location. "I estimate no sooner than twenty minutes, and possibly as long as an hour."

Standing up, Pike turned to Lieutenant Kwai. "Lieutenant, I want you to issue a shipwide order to evacuate to engineering."

"Aye, Captain," said Kwai.

Pressing a button on his command chair, "Engineering, this is Pike, do you read?"

Engineer Kay McSpadden's voice buzzed on the comm. _"Loud and clear, Captain."_

"I want you to create a localized shield around the engineering bay – you're going to be getting a whole lot of company very soon."

"_Understood,"_McSpadden said.

Anticipating Pike's next command, Spock spun in his chair and let his fingers fly over his console.

"Spock," said Pike, "I want all sensitive computer information partitioned on the engineering servers."

"I'm already on it, sir," said Spock.

"The order is out," said Kwai. "We're being hailed by the Klingon vessels, Sir."

"I'm going to buy us some time," said Pike, settling into his back into his chair. "Put them on screen."

There was an electronic chime and then Captain Lorag roared. "You're beaten Pike, surrender!"

Spock couldn't watch the screen; he was too busy with his task. But he heard the smile in Pike's voice when he said, "I've heard about the conditions on Rura Penthe. I don't think it would suit me."

"Then prepare to be destroyed!" shouted Lorag.

"Go for it," said Pike.

"Captain," said the helm, "they're arming photon torpedoes."

On the screen in front of him, Spock watched the progress bar begin to slowly shrink as the transfer process began. He estimated it would take a good ten minutes. Spinning in his chair, he saw Captain Pike smile at the screen. "Today is as good a day as any to die, Lorag."

"You are cowardly, you would not –" the Klingon hissed.

"Are you going to try me, or are you going to tell me what you really want?" said Pike. "I might be cowardly enough to give it to you."

Lorag sat back in his chair. He hissed, and smiled. "You know what we want. The transmission from the _Equus_ to the _Farragut_. Give it to us, and the encryption device."

Spock straightened. Jabari's message had been important after all.

Pike's smile dropped. "Lorag, if you give us time to repair our subspace array, I'll confer with Starfleet. It's possible they'd be willing to share this information with you. Whoever destroyed Delta A-930 is a threat to us all. A Starfleet-Empire Alliance—"

Standing from his chair, Lorag dropped his smile. Raising a fist he bellowed at Pike. "We've seen how the Federation treats those who would seek to ally themselves with them! Your time is over, human traitor!"

Rising from his own chair, Pike yelled back at Lorag, "I am not responsible for Golarth's death! If I was I would claim it! He was…" Pike paused. Struggling to form the harsh Klingon words he said, "_a most admirable adversary."_

At the sound of his native tongue, the Klingon's face relaxed minutely. Then shaking his head he leered again. "You are a liar!" The screen went black.

"Spock," said Pike, "you've got that transmission from your friend on the _Equus _partitioned on the engineering servers?"

Turning back to his console, Spock checked the progress bar. "That transmission and other sensitive data will be complete in 4 minutes and 56 seconds."

"Sir," said Number One, "you have to get to engineering."

"A captain goes down with his ship," said Pike.

"Well, the last part of this ship to go down will be engineering..." One said. "And sir, there are things in your head that are as valuable as anything they'd find in our computers."

Spock looked at the two officers. Pike stared hard at One for all of three seconds. His jaw was tight, his frame too straight; but then he said, "Okay, One. The bridge is yours."

"Spock," One said, "do you have the encryption device on you?"

"Yes," said Spock guessing her next order. Standing from his chair he pulled it from his pocket.

It was a gift from Nyota. Since coming aboard the _Farragut_ he had not once parted with it. Not even on Epsilon 5 when he found himself under attack by a small fleet of Klingon mercenaries. He slept with it - even took his sonic showers with it. It was illogical to have a talisman and yet that is what it had become.

He put out his hand to Pike...but his fingers did not let go.

Pike's fingers touched Spock's, for the first time since the fateful day he'd recruited Spock in the gym. Pike had said in space they don't care where you're from, who you are, what you are...or who you sleep with.

Pike had known about Nyota somehow. And wanted Spock as part of his crew anyways.

When their hands touched then Spock had felt honesty and determination. Now he felt _reassurance_.

"I'll take good care of it, Spock," Pike said.

Mentally recriminating himself for wasting precious seconds and being so easy to read, Spock slipped the tiny rectangular device into Pike's fingers. A sense of foreboding came over him-an emptiness, unbidden and unwelcome.

Nodding at Pike Spock said, "I will stay here with One until the partition is complete."

Pike nodded. Turning to the rest of the bridge he said, "All non-security personnel with me!"

A minute later the bridge was empty except for Spock, One and Security Ensign Giotto.

"Sir," said Spock to One as he stared as the indicator bar. "When the Klingons come and hack into our system, they will realize that we have removed all valuable information by the sheer lack of volume of data. I believe it will heighten their attempts to gain access to engineering."

"That may be, Spock. That's why the Captain's next move will be to get Security to establish a perimeter around all access points to engineering within the localized shield."

"Incoming!" said Giotto.

Spock braced himself against his console as the ship rocked, lights flickered, and metal screeched.

"That was a good shot," One said. "They just grazed our impulse engines. Shields are down to 15%; life support is still functional."

Drawing his phaser, Giotto said, "Another careful shot like that and they'll have transporter access...and this is where they'll be coming."

"I have an idea to keep them away from engineering," Spock said. "You may leave if you wish."

"We're not going anywhere, Spock," said One.

"Very well," said Spock, fully expecting that response. His fingers flew across the console. "I am going to create a subroutine that will take non-secure data duplicate and encrypt it. While they busy themselves with the dummy secure data it may buy us time -"

"Go for it," said One.

"I have already begun the process," Spock replied, head bent low over the console.

"Hang in there, incoming!" shouted Giotto.

Spock paused only long enough to straighten when the photon torpedo impact against the _Farragut's_ remaining impulse engine nearly knocked him off his chair.

"Shields at 5%," said One. "Spock, hurry!"

"I am almost done," Spock said.

"Sir," said Giotto to One, "the turbolifts won't be safe. I have an idea..."

Spock was barely listening. Touching one more button he said, "My job is complete. It will take approximately 5 more minutes for the subroutine to finish, but it will take them a while to become orientated with our systems -"

"I trust you," said Number One. "Get over here."

Turning, Spock saw Number One's head and arm protruding from the ceiling - the Jeffries tubes; that must have been Giotto's idea. It was a good one.

The ship shook again, and the bridge went black.

"Hurry, Spock!" said Number One.

In the dim light, Spock rushed beneath her. "Move your arm," he said. "I do not require your assistance."

Number One withdrew and Spock leapt up and grabbed the edge of the ceiling. He had just pulled himself up and Giotto had slid the ceiling panel back into place when Spock's sensitive ears detected the sound of a transporter beam and then grunts in Klingon.

In the dim light of the tube his eyes went to One and then to Giotto. Each met his gaze in turn. Beside their eyes, no other part of their bodies moved. It struck him that their mouths were open but they weren't breathing. A moment later he realized he wasn't breathing either.

**x x x x**

Spock, One, and Giotto crawled through the Jeffries tubes for minutes that had passed like hours. Now they waited in a tube next to the port access door to Engineering. The tube in front of them still had a localized shield up. They could not pass, but they could see through the shield. Beyond the shield was Ensign Singh and two other red shirts.

Outside the tubes by the doorway there were Klingons. They'd taken down the Universal Translator and were speaking in Klingon. On a PADD in front of him Spock was translating the Klingon into Standard and holding the device up to Ensign Singh and the redshirts beyond the shield.

_Starfleet vessels have arrived, _he typed and held the message aloft.

In the dimly lit tubes there were smiles on both sides of the security partition.

One held up her finger up to her lips.

Outside the tubes in the hallway there were more grunts in Klingon. Spock's eyes widened. Quickly typing out the translation, Spock held aloft the PADD. _They believe they have downloaded all secure data from the Farragut's drives. They have been ordered to beam back to their ships of origin._

Number One grinned. On the other side of the security field one of the security officers gave another a high five.

The Klingons continued to bark in their own language. Spock's muscles went tight, and then without consulting One he kicked the wall between him and the Klingons in the hallway. Light spilled into the Jefferies tube. Thankfully, the Klingons had set the lighting at a level that was more comfortable to them - otherwise Spock would have been blinded.

The panelling Spock had kicked lay across one Klingon. He appeared to be unconscious. Which only left seven more. Spock sprang towards one and attempted to wrestle away his rifle. As he did so he heard One yell beside him, "They're planting charges! Security to access points - disable charges now!"

There was the sound of Giotto's phaser firing and then what sounded like the electrostatic energy of a transporter, or maybe a shield dropping. Spock wrested the rifle from his adversary. Suddenly in a thick press of bodies, he didn't have time or space to aim it. Lifting it high, he pummelled the Klingon in front of him. There was the sound of more phaser fire. Spock thought he heard One call his name, but oddly it sounded like Nyota, and then his world went black.

**A/N:**

The reunion of Spock and Nyota is almost here! (Like next chapter). If you read and enjoyed, please leave a review.


	19. Reunion

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to beta Notes from the Classroom. Check out her latest, "Crossing the Equator" in my faves.

**Reunion**

Nyota willed herself to walk, not _run_ up the stairs of Starfleet Medical in San Francisco. The news of the attack on the _Farragut_ was all over campus. The _Farragut_ had been boarded, and Spock and a few other officers had stayed behind when the crew evacuated to engineering.

There were rumors Spock created dummy secure files to distract the Klingon boarders and then thwarted an attempt to blow up the ship from inside when the enemy retreated. There were already rumors Spock would be promoted to Commander soon.

...but these things were not at the forefront of Nyota's mind. She knew Spock was here at the hospital. He had to be here; this is where the wounded were being sent. He hadn't contacted her - which meant he was injured and it was serious. She didn't know if she would be able to see him; she wasn't next of kin.

As she whirled through the doors and over to the front desk, the attendant asked, "Who are you here to see?"

Smiling sweetly, Nyota said, "Ensign George Giotto." Three years her senior, George wasn't especially close, but he was here, he wasn't in intensive care, and his name would get her in the door.

Smiling back and handing Nyota an access pass, the attendant said, "Floor 4."

"Thank you," said Nyota. She walked over to the turbolifts and quickly scanned the building directory. _Non-human intensive care, Floor 12. _

"Floor 4!" called the attendant.

"Right!" said Nyota brightly. Hopping into the lift, she hit the button for 12.

Of course, getting into intensive care wasn't as easy as getting into the hospital.

"I'm afraid only next of kin are allowed access. Anyone else would need the authority of his commanding officer," said the nurse sitting guard at a desk in front of two sliding doors.

From the corner of her eye, Nyota watched as a woman in command yellow walked towards the doors. Nyota felt the gust of wind as they opened. The nurse's eyes flicked briefly to the visitor.

"His next of kin are on Vulcan," said Nyota, focusing her eyes, and all her _will_, on the nurse. "What if I got his mother to vouch for me?"

Tilting her head the nurse said, "That might work, Dear. But I'd need to clear it with my supervisor."

Nyota sank back on her heels a bit and did her best not to scowl. That could take days.

"You're Nyota Uhura."

Starting, Nyota turned her head. It was the woman she'd just noticed a moment ago. She was in her late thirties, or early forties, and of European descent. Her dark hair was cropped short, her eyes were an icy shade of blue - the ribbons on her uniform identified her as Commander.

Snapping to attention, Nyota said, "Yes, Sir."

"Come with me," the woman said, turning and walking towards the doors to intensive care.

x x x x

There were lights in the darkness. Sounds. Spock heard Pike's voice, "Will he be alright?"

"We have to get him to medical."

And there was pain.

"They go into healing trances-hard to say."

A trance. He willed his mind to let go and gratefully felt himself slip into blackness.

And then he found himself in a nearly exact replica of the scene of his confrontation with Sarek after he turned down the Vulcan Science Academy.

Sarek's face was flat. His voice impassive. But even through the neglected familial bond Spock could feel fires of rage. "By rejecting the VSA you reject the best opportunity to prove their racism wrong - and to further your own career. You will not be challenged in Starfleet."

And then Spock was walking down the street in Nairobi with Nyota and her brother Jabari. Jabari was on the phone with his father and was clearly agitated. "...I'll look out for her..." Jabari said.

Jabari had tried to look out for them all. He wasn't supposed to do that...

"Spock? Spock?" It was Nyota's voice. He felt the cool press of fingers against his own and a flood of _concern, love, fear._ He couldn't force his eyes to open, but his mind conjured up the scene. Nyota hovering above him, haloed by lights, eyes wide and wet.

Utilizing all of his concentration, he curled his fingers around hers and was rewarded with a wave of _relief_.

He assessed his situation. He'd been stunned by phaser fire and lanced with what was probably a Klingon bayonet afterwards. The internal bleeding had been stifled. The sepsis was under control. He would recover. He broadcast his _reassurance _and _confusion._

"What are you doing on the _Farragut_?"

Had he spoken those words?

More _concern_. A hand upon his head. Something cool and wet upon his cheek. "You're not on the _Farragut_, you're on Earth, in San Francisco," said Nyota.

"I need to recover," Spock said. Even this semi-conscious exchange was wearing him out.

"Yes, yes, you do," she said. He could feel her breath against his face as the blackness of the trance beckoned him down.

"I can't lose you and Jabari, too." The words sounded as though they came from a great distance.

"No evidence...the _Equus_ was destroyed..." said Spock.

Spock felt shock through his fingertips.

"You'll have to leave now," said One's voice.

Nyota's fingers departed, but Spock was too enveloped by the trance to protest.

x x x x

Exhausted, and feeling vaguely nauseous, One slumped against the wall of Spock's intensive care room. She felt a cough tickling the back of her throat but suppressed it. One watched the young woman, Nyota Uhura, walk without hesitation over to Spock's bed and put the tips of her fingers against the unconscious science officer's.

"Spock?" Uhura said, "Spock?"

No one touched Spock on purpose, especially not his fingers, and Spock never touched anyone if he could help it. But at her touch his fingers curled around Uhura's, and his head lolled towards her voice. Suddenly feeling like a voyeur, One shook off her fatigue and walked towards the door. And then she heard Spock whisper, "What are you doing on the _Farragut_?" Concerned, One turned back.

Leaning closer to Spock, Uhura ran a hand over his brow. "You're not on the _Farragut_, you're on Earth, in San Francisco," she said. The slight hitch to her voice told One she was crying.

Uhura had walked into intensive care with such determination and poise it had made her seem larger than she really was. Now watching her bend over Spock, One noticed how narrow her shoulders were, how slight her frame. She could see the profile of Uhura's face. She was so young, and if anything, more lovely than Spock's holos of her.

"I need to recover," Spock said.

"Yes, yes, you do," Uhura said.

Spock's head lolled to the other side, his fingers relaxed in hers. Uhura straightened and said in a small voice, "I can't lose you and Jabari, too."

One tensed. Jabari? How did she know him?

"No evidence...the _Equus_ was destroyed..." said Spock.

One hadn't had a chance to sleep or even eat since before the _Farragut_ was attacked. She hadn't even checked her email - but she had been briefed by Starfleet Intelligence. The bridge crew were forbidden to speak of the transmission received from Captain Jabari, or the unconfirmed report of Delta A-930's destruction. Starfleet didn't want to cause a panic.

Now Spock was on the verge of revealing classified information without even knowing it - and it would be on One's head. She had allowed Uhura in here.

Putting her hand on Uhura's shoulder she said, "You'll have to leave now,"

Uhura looked up at her, tears in her eyes - despite them she looked angry. But she nodded and stood. Motioning for Uhura to step ahead of her, One followed her out of the door.

They walked out of room and into the turbolift in silence. One was burning to know how Uhura knew Jabari - and how Spock did, too, for that matter.

When the turbolift started to move Uhura said, "Thank you, Sir. For letting me in..." All the anger was gone, her eyes were soft again - like they'd been as she'd leaned over Spock.

"Not a problem," One said. "And don't worry too much about Spock. They tell me he's well on the road to recovery."

Uhura nodded but did not respond. Of course she would worry. One would, too.

They walked together from the hospital. At the bottom of the steps One inclined her head prepared to go, but then she stopped herself. She had to know. She just wouldn't mention the bridge scene.

"Who is Captain Jabari?" she said. One could look him up, but Jabari's file might not tell her what Uhura's relation to him was, or Spock's.

The softness in Uhura's eyes vanished. Focusing on her with the intensity of a hawk, she was silent for a moment. And then she said, "How do you know Jabari, Sir?"

She blinked. "He is an acquaintance of Spock -" One said. It was a weak lie. Spock would never speak of an 'acquaintance' like Jabari. It was shocking that the two even knew each other. The diplomat's son and the 'captain' of the little ship whose very presence in the neutral zone identified its owner as a criminal. A brave criminal, one the Federation might owe a great debt to, and one One herself might admire, but a criminal nonetheless.

One thought Uhura would call her on it, but she broke. "Where is he? You've seen him," she said, stepping closer, an edge of desperation in her voice.

"Who is he, Lieutenant?" One asked. "I could look it up in your file," she said, hoping she wasn't lying - and not wanting to make it an order. Not yet. "But it would save me some time if you just told me."

Uhura took a breath. "He's my brother," she said. Swallowing she said, "You've seen him...is he alright?"

Oh.

"Is he alright?" Uhura said again.

"I don't know," One said. But despite lack of evidence of the _Equus' _destruction, One very much doubted Jabari was still alive.

"There is the warrant out for his arrest...for smuggling artifacts." Uhura did meet her eyes. "But he is still my brother...has he done...something else?"

One felt very tired. Every family had a black sheep. Would it give Uhura and her family some solace to know that Jabari had tried to do some good?

One took a deep breath that did nothing to clear her head or her conscience. "I can't talk about it," One said at last. "But I'll see what I can do.".

**A/N:**

Short, but hopefully a sweet chapter. For more of how One knows Uhura you can check out "Vulcans Don't Share" for a bit of a laugh. If you read and enjoyed, please leave a review!


	20. Malignant

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to beta Notes from the Classroom. Check out her latest, "Crossing the Equator" in my faves.

**Malignant**

Christopher Pike watched One's face flicker off the view screen. The dark circles under her eyes burned in his retinas. How had he not known? How had they missed it for so long?

Wiping his face, he stood up and gazed out his office window. It took a great deal of effort. He felt as though the wind had just been knocked out of him.

When you felt like you couldn't go on, you just did. Tapping the comm on his chest he said, "Locate Commander Spock."

"_Commander Spock is in his office in the computer science building."_

Pike tilted his head. 3 days after the incident on the Farragut and Spock was already on his feet and back at work. Picking up a PADD, he went to find his science officer.

The sun was bright, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The temperature was perfect. Two young women, a lieutenant with mocha skin and shiny raven black hair, and an Orion cadet with wild copper ringlets, stepped out of the computer science building. Both beautiful, happy, and vibrantly _healthy,_ they walked by, laughing at some shared joke. Ordinarily he might have stopped, found some pretense to watch them as they made their way across campus, but at this moment he really wasn't in the mood. Their health and happiness, the beauty of the day itself, felt surreal.

Walking through the building's sliding doors, he felt a faint grinding catching his attention. For a moment he thought it came from the sliding doors, and then he realized it was his own teeth. Shaking his head, he went to find Spock.

As Pike entered his science officer's office, a scent, delicate and floral, like perfume, caught his attention. It was gone so fast, Pike thought he might have imagined it. Attired now in instructor gray, Spock was already standing at attention. Pike wasn't surprised. His science officer's pointed ears weren't just ornamental.

"At ease," said Pike.

Nodding, Spock sat down. "Why have I not been given security clearance?" said Spock, looking down at the PADD. "I was there on the _Farragut_, I obviously heard Captain Jabari's account of events at Delta-A 930. Denying me access to the data at this point is nonsensical."

Sinking into a chair close to Spock's desk, Pike said. "I haven't been given access either."

Looking up, Spock raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

Shaking his head, Pike said, "Starfleet Intelligence must have decided it is above my pay grade."

Picking up his PADD, Spock said, "You are captain of the flagship. An event like this, if there is indeed evidence of a weapon, changes the balance of power in the galaxy -"

"Spock," said Pike, "I understand that you have a personal interest in this matter."

Spock visibly stiffened.

Pike's jaw tightened. Looking up Spock's connection to Captain Jabari had been one of Pike's first activities after his interview-interrogation with SI. Jabari's file identified him as wanted for the illegal selling of artifacts, although nothing had been brought to trial. The file also identified Jabari as the son of a highly decorated Starfleet Officer and a former diplomat - and the brother of Spock's former assistant and probable lover, cadet Nyota Uhura.

"But I'm not here to talk about that," Pike said. And he wasn't. As far as Pike was concerned, Jabari was a hero; he'd told SI as much. As for Spock's possible romantic relationship with a cadet, Pike knew Spock was close to his assistant when he recruited him as science officer. Pike wasn't certain how close, and he'd never ask. And now, whatever the relationship was, she was completely outside of Spock's chain of command - some people might find it still dubious, but Pike could give a damn.

Posture relaxing, Spock tilted his head.

Pike looked down and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes. Just get it out. "One has been diagnosed with Stage IV medullary cancer."

Spock said nothing. Which in itself was something. Pike heard the sound of the PADD being placed on the desk. When he looked up, Spock's hands were steepled in front of him.

"What is the prognosis?" Spock asked.

"It could be worse," said Pike.

"Define," said Spock so quickly that Pike almost smiled. Spock _did_ care. "She will get better."

Spock raised an eyebrow. "But the treatment..."

"Is lengthy, and grueling - now that it has metastasized. They know it's as least as far as her lungs, but they expect it may be in other locations as well."

Spock nodded. "Will she be treated here?"

"Yes," Pike said. "At Starfleet Medical. She's already been admitted."

"Visiting hours are not over yet," said Spock standing. "After having just been treated in the same facility I can tell you, she is bored. We can see her now."

Pike did smile. A little bit. But holding up a hand, Pike said, "Her dad flew in from Mars colony. He's there now."

Licking his lips, Pike said. "There is something else I need to talk to you about."

Spock tilted his head.

"I need someone to fill in One's spot as First Officer of the Enterprise while she is in treatment."

Nodding, Spock said, "I am sure there are a number of suitable candidates who will, as they say, jump at the opportunity to -"

"Spock," said Pike. "I want you."

Looking away, Spock said, "I do not believe that my combat or leadership experience is extensive enough -"

He was saying no. Pike had half expected this. Despite his lack of fear in battle, in discussions of his future with Pike, Spock had always been overly cautious.

"Oh, come on, Spock!" said Pike. "Epsilon 1235? Our last episode with the Klingons. You're up for promotion to Commander now, and you know you'll get it."

Eyeing Pike, Spock said, "I amend my first statement. My combat experience is extensive. But my skills as a leader..."

"And again I say, Epsilon 1235 and your actions when the Klingons boarded our vessel!" Pike said impatiently.

Looking away, Spock said, "My actions in both instances do not demonstrate leadership ability. In both cases I was merely adhering to duty - and trying to save my own skin."

"Spock," said Pike. "It will only be for a few months. And most of it will just be doing milk runs with the Enterprise making sure all her systems are integrated properly."

"I can ensure that the systems are integrated properly in my capacity as science officer," said Spock.

Pike felt himself flush. How far did he have to go to convince the guy to take a promotion? Switching tactics he said, "Spock, I don't want someone else. I don't want to break anyone in. I want someone I know, someone I trust. I want you." With One sick he just couldn't handle dealing with an untested, unknown first. Not right now.

Spock's frame sagged minutely. "Very well," he said. "Until One has recovered."

"Thank you," said Pike.

Spock met his eyes.

Pike would have offered anyone else a handshake at that moment. Instead he just nodded. "I'll forward you a list of duties to add onto your long list as science officer. I know you'll be busy, what with the class the Academy has you pitching in for - and your work on the _Maru._"

Spock eyed the PADD on his desk. "It is all manageable. I do not require as much sleep as a human."

"Good," said Pike. The moment suddenly felt awkward. Not knowing what else to do, he turned to leave. The door had just whooshed open when he stopped.

Turning back, he said, "Spock, just out of curiosity, I know you duplicated and encrypted some non-critical files to keep the Klingons occupied while they boarded...What files did you give them?"

It wasn't important. With all that was on his mind, the non-importance, that lack of _weight,_ was what made Pike ask.

Spock straightened. "Actually, Sir, it was only one file." He put his hands behind his back. "It was from your own personal entertainment selection - it was accessible at that moment, the file size was large, and therefore it was the perfect candidate to duplicate multiple times and encrypt."

Now Pike really was curious. "Spock, which one of my files did you use?"

Face perfectly neutral, Spock said, "Your holofied rendition of the 20th century Clint Eastwood classic, _Dirty Harry._"

Pike's jaw dropped. "Spock, are you familiar with _Dirty Harry?_"

Spock raised an eyebrow. His cheeks flushed slightly olive. Well, Pike supposed Dirty Harry wasn't something a Vulcan would confess to being familiar with.

Pike laughed and turned back to the door. "You made my day," he said as he stepped out the door. Then smiling, he turned back and added. "Punk."

Spock's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

Pike left the computer science building with a grin. This was a story that would lift One's spirits. He was sure the Klingons had unencrypted the file by now. And he was pretty sure he could hear Lorag's scream of rage from lightyears away.

x x x x

"Something is wrong," said Nyota, leaning her forehead against Spock's.

They were in the small foyer of his quarters, now in official Starfleet housing. They didn't have to hide anymore, not now that she was a Lieutenant. Still, they were discreet. Gestures like the one they were sharing always happened behind closed doors. For Spock the discretion was natural; for Nyota he suspected it might be force of habit after hiding their relationship for so long. She was an affectionate person, from an affectionate people. He suspected at some point she would not like their affection to be so constrained.

Someday, not today. He would not broach the subject until she did. And for now this was perfect. Her cool forehead on his, her concern and affection washing over him all away from prying eyes.

"What is it?" she asked, pulling away, and Spock restrained a sigh. He forgot how easily she read his emotions when they touched - even when he tried to hide them.

She tilted her head. "You can tell me."

He could, but as usual, when it came to matters of emotional weight, it was difficult. Looking down he took a breath and said, "One has been diagnosed with Stage 4 medullary cancer. She will be leaving active duty for treatment."

Looking up, he saw her free hand over her mouth, her eyes wide.

"Oh, no," she said. Nyota swallowed; the hand that was on his squeezed. "I'm sorry." She knew that One had covered for them during their rainy rendezvous on Litella 12. She also knew that Spock didn't relish getting to know new people. He was comfortable with One, he admired her, and they understood one another. Perhaps it wasn't rapport per se, but for Spock it was enormous just to have someone who didn't expect him to be anything other than who he was.

Nyota's brow furrowed. "There is something else?" she said.

Spock took another deep breath. "Pike has asked me to be first officer in the interim."

"Oh!" she said. "Oh!" To Spock's great relief ,Nyota didn't smile, and the emotions across the bond were not elation but concern and a vague feeling of unease. "What a horrible way to get a promotion," she said summing up his feelings perfectly.

"Yes," said Spock. He wanted to say more, to say that it was more than just the way that he was getting the promotion that disturbed him. He wasn't ready for it. He could lead a science team just fine, but a ship? Multiple departments with multiple agendas, vastly different personality types - it wasn't something he wanted, at least not yet.

But the words all stuck in his throat, and then Nyota's comm chimed. She looked towards her bag, and Spock could feel the conflict in her.

"Take it," he said.

"Thank you," she said, squeezing his hands, and he felt a brief rush of gratitude. Dropping her hands from his she went to her bag and took out her comm. "It's from Commander Rodriguez," she said, and even Spock could register the surprise in her voice. "She's asked me to report to the long range sensor lab right away."

"Go," said Spock. It wasn't what he wanted to say, but what he wanted - to slip into her arms and escape from thinking and the weight of his new responsibilities and knowledge of One's cancer - wasn't logical.

A few minutes after she left, Spock found himself in front of his _asenoi,_ preparing to meditate. But he found rarities of rarities he did not want to be alone. Pike would be with his family, as was One. His mother would be asleep at this time - she might not mind a call, but she would push him to know what was bothering him, and all the things bothering him were too difficult to speak of.

His comm beeped and he picked it up. It was a message from Starfleet Command. His promotion to first officer of the flagship was now official. He had full access to the _Enterprise_ 24/7.

Blinking at the message a moment, he looked at the door, and down again. There were two other people he could go to - and a pretense for a visit.

x x x x

**A/N:**

Next chapter will reveal Jabari's fate. I will post it in a few days, and then may take a break from this story for a while. I don't have child care next week, so every waking spare moment will go to writing that pays bills - and I always like to be two chapters ahead for quality control reasons!

Anyway, if you liked this chapter please leave a review, it will encourage me to post the next as I'm sleep deprived and frazzled next week!


	21. Above and Beyond

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to beta Notes from the Classroom. Check out her latest "Crossing the Equator" in my faves for Pike/Number One drama. Next chapter, Notes! Hurry!

**Above and Beyond**

It was 5:30 PM and Lieutenant Commander Patrick O'Hara was in his lab. That was not unusual. What was unusual was that he was alone. For the last seventeen years - had it really been that long - Toshi would stop by almost every evening. He had not been by in days.

Grumbling, Patrick slid under the subspace array simulator he'd gotten from Spock's lab when Spock had joined the fleet. The damn thing was on the fritz again; Spock and Uhura had both warned him about it. He popped off the plate under the circuit boards and then just lay there, staring into the dark.

All he'd done was mention to Toshi that it was a little odd that Uhura had vastly different memories of Novasch's visit to the lab with Brillac - and that it was odd that she was so upset. She wasn't one for emotional histrionics. Toshi had quietly said she must have been mistaken, and then he'd just clammed up. And then he'd stopped coming by after five, or asking Patrick to go to lunch with him, or emailing him all those damn knock-knock jokes.

What did Patrick expect, really? Novasch was Toshi and Yumi's friend from before Patrick had come along. And knowing Novasch was sort of …_ magical._ He made you feel connected to something larger. Not as alone. It was like that feeling that used to come over Patrick when he was a little boy and he still _believed_ in the religion symbolized by the crucifix around his neck.

Touching that small piece of silver, Patrick remembered a family picnic between the Matsumuras and O'Haras when Novasch had come along. The Vulcan coaxed a wild fawn to come over and nuzzle the children's hands. The memory still made Patrick's heart ache. If he didn't have the event on holo he wouldn't believe it had been real.

Patrick couldn't compare to a friend like that. Heck, Novasch was even staying with Toshi, Yumi and their daughter Yuki, while he was separated from his bond mate, T'Quilloc. Toshi and Yumi were convinced he'd be more comfortable with them than in the Vulcan consulate.

Patrick wiped some dust from his eyes. He didn't know what had happened with Uhura. Maybe _nothing_ had happened. But Novasch was _off_ lately. Maybe it was just the prolonged separation from T'Quilloc, but he seemed at loose ends. Sometimes when he was around, Patrick was sure he could feel this edge of _desperation_, Patrick's heart rate seemed to increase a fraction, and he found his hands going clammy. But it wasn't Patrick's desperation. He couldn't explain how he knew this. Patrick always kind of felt sorry for Novasch, but now he was a little frightened - of him, for him - and for Toshi.

Starting at the sound of footsteps in the lab, Patrick felt his heart give a leap. He pulled himself out from under the array and blinked at the Vulcan in science blues standing there.

Still lying on the floor, Patrick grinned up. "Why, Spock, you son of a human mother, you scared me there!"

Spock tilted his head; his face was a mask. After being around Novasch, Patrick found it a little odd to be around a Vulcan and not _feel_ what they were feeling.

"I assure you, that was not my intention," Spock said. He looked at the subspace array. "Do you require my help with that?"

"Nah, nah," said Patrick, climbing to his feet, brushing off the dust. Being wedged down in the dark under a subspace array with Spock would just be horribly awkward-all the special wiggling to avoid any physical contact whatsoever. Novasch let all his emotions hang out because it was too hard to contain them. Spock, like most other Vulcans, went to extreme measures to conceal his emotions. It led to some mental and physical gymnastics that got a bit silly. Patrick looked at the half Vulcan. "As I recall, it was always Uhura who managed to fix this thing anyway."

Flexing his fingers in front of his eyes, Spock exhaled in what almost sounded like a sigh. "Indeed, her fingers are much smaller and more delicate than mine. In addition she has a light touch -"

Feeling himself go red, Patrick said, "That's alright. I get the picture." And a lot of others which he didn't want to see. Not that Uhura and Spock weren't fine specimens of their respective species, but again...awkward. Very awkward.

Spock looked down at Patrick's knees. Following his eyes, Patrick whisked away a dust bunny hanging there. "So, what brings you back to your old haunts, Spock? I mean, besides being boarded by Klingons and getting the _Farragut_ practically blown to bits."

Putting his hands behind his back, Spock said. "You are aware that the _Enterprise_ is parked in orbit above San Francisco at this moment."

"Yep," said Patrick. "Seen her on the news. She's a beauty. Almost makes me wish I was active." He sighed. "Her science labs are a fair bit better equipped than ours." He looked around at the broken subspace array and decade-old equipment.

"Perhaps you are not aware that I am to be science officer of the _Enterprise_."

Patrick blinked. "What? No!" Grinning, Patrick said, "I mean, you're perfect for the job!" His hand was extended and he was centimeters from Spock when he remembered himself. Clapping his hands together he said, "Congratulations! Did you just come here to gloat? Really, that would be okay, that's worth gloating over." Patrick smiled and he looked at Spock, feeling a bit jealous and a bit proud and oddly paternal at the same time.

Raising an eyebrow, Spock said, "No, I did not come here just to gloat. I came to see if you would like a tour of the science facilities."

Patrick stared at the half-Vulcan. "Does a bear shit in the woods, Spock?"

Spock tilted his head.

"That's a yes!"

Straightening his head, Spock said, "Where is Professor Matsumura? I presumed that he would be here. He is invited, too, of course."

Patrick's spirits fell to the floor so fast he almost imagined he heard a thud. "Oh, I dunno, probably in his lab. Maybe you should just ask him," Patrick said, oddly feeling like he had to put Toshi's chance to see the _Enterprise_ ahead of his own. "I don't think he wants to be even 10 kilometers around me."

Well, that sounded pathetic.

Spock tilted his head again. "That is inconceivable."

Patrick stared at Spock for a moment. As brilliant as he was, when it came to emotional understanding, Spock was even more an idiot than Patrick. Which was saying something. Really.

But... Maybe this was Patrick's chance to make amends. "Yeah," Patrick said looking at the door. "Yeah. Let's go find him."

x x x x

Toshi blinked as the transporter beam flickered away before his eyes, and then kept blinking. The interior of the _Enterprise_ gleamed so brightly it was almost blinding. The ship wasn't quite complete, and the covers to several of the bulbs illuminating the ceiling seemed to be missing.

He turned to Spock, trying hard not to look too closely at Patrick.

The half-Vulcan was blinking as well. "The floodlights were made to unusual specs." Spock's eyebrows knitted together infinitesimally in annoyance, testament to his half-human heritage. "I do not understand why they did not include standard size floods in the design."

"Well, it will look mighty impressive when it's all put together," said Patrick, in his typical glass half-full way - completely missing Spock's subtle body language. He was like a child, and Toshi should really forgive him. But sometimes being a child was simply unacceptable. What he said about Novasch. Couldn't he tell how much Novasch was hurting? For decades Novasch had put duty ahead of his personal well-being, and it was taking its toll. But he'd never do what Patrick had implied. Oh, perhaps there'd been some slip, some telepathic misunderstanding, but he'd never erase Toshi or Patrick's memories.

Spock's brows furrowed slightly more at Patrick's illogical statement.

Time for Toshi to be the mediator. He shouldn't feel so annoyed. "Perhaps we can take a look at the bridge before ending our tour in the science lab?" Toshi said.

"That was my idea as well," said Spock, motioning them to step off the pad.

The tour went well. The ship was suitably impressive, the science facilities worthy of envy even if the lights catching Toshi in the eye every time he turned around were distracting and annoying. That problem would be fixed with time.

The entire time Patrick avoided eye contact, he seemed a bit sheepish. Which made Toshi actually feel sorry for him. When Patrick suggested they all test the coffee maker in the mess, Patrick's desire to make amends was so transparent Toshi couldn't bring himself to say no - it would be like kicking a puppy.

A few minutes later they sat around a table in the mess drinking unpalatable coffee. Toshi and Patrick both had lots of questions for Spock, but they didn't really talk to one another.

Toshi looked into the cup of bitter swill in front of him and shook his head. What did you do with an overgrown child for a friend?

"You're lucky to be in your science blues and not back in your instructor's uniform, Spock," said Patrick. "Don't know how you missed having to take over for any of the instructors we've got out on maternity or medical this semester."

Spock tilted his head. "In fact, I have been asked to fill in for an instructor."

Debating taking another sip just to be polite, Toshi looked down at the the liquid in his cup. It made more sense to spend money on the science lab than the mess facilities, but really - didn't Starfleet's finest deserve better than this?

"Really? What they have you covering?" said Patrick.

Spock was silent for a heart beat. Distractedly swirling what the _Enterprise_ was trying to pass as coffee, Toshi said, "Yes, Spock, what are you teaching?"

Spock cleared his throat slightly.

Uh-oh.

Looking up, he caught Spock's cheeks looking a little flushed. "I have been asked to teach Interspecies Ethics."

Toshi blinked. He liked Spock. A lot. And wasn't a bit of gentle ribbing one way that _gaijin _showed their affection for one another? Okay, Vulcans didn't, but North Americans did, and Spock was half North American. Couldn't he embrace the other half of his heritage? And anyway, it wasn't like what had happened was a secret - Patrick and especially Toshi had actually gone to a great deal of trouble to help Spock after what Patrick dubbed, "The Vulcan Inquisition." A little ribbing at Spock's expense, Toshi and Patrick had earned it, hadn't they?

Toshi stared at Spock, who was now taking a very slow, careful sip of his coffee. Toshi wanted to say it. But he just...couldn't. He took a hurried sip of his own drink fighting back a grimace.

But Patrick could say it. "Well, as long as none of your students is named Nyota Uhura, you'll be alright, Spock."

Toshi coughed on his coffee and stifled a snicker - which made it come out a bit of a snort.

Spock took a deep breath; he looked between the two of them and raised an eyebrow. "Indeed," he said, probably realizing how illogical it would be to refute the statement.

Toshi wasn't sure if Patrick had heard him. Patrick's ever-distracted mind had already moved on. "This stuff tastes like lung-worm piss."

Spock opened his mouth as though to say something.

"No, that is not hyperbole," said Patrick.

Toshi and Spock both blinked at Patrick. That was a story even Toshi hadn't heard before.

"We all have advanced skills in engineering," said Patrick pushing his mug away. "Let's go see if we can't recalibrate that damn machine passing for a coffee maker. You kids going off into space to save my tired hide deserve better."

It was really everything Toshi loved about Patrick. And why he'd have to bring himself to forgive him. But not forget. Not while Novasch was on Earth and still needed him.

"A worthy goal," Toshi said.

"Indeed," said Spock standing up beside Patrick.

And for a while, everything was good.

x x x x

Nyota sat outside Commander Rodriguez's office swinging her leg. She'd been here for an hour and hadn't spoken to the Commander yet. It was evening, past dinner time and she was hungry. She looked over at the Ensign Isawa at the front desk. Shrugging his shoulders he gave her an apologetic smile. Then he mouthed the word, "SI".

Nyota blinked. Just then the Commander's door whooshed open. Isawa and Nyota snapped to attention just as a man and a woman in Starfleet Intelligence gray stepped out. The man looked at Nyota, stopped for a moment, nodded at her and then walked on.

The Commander appeared at the door. "At ease," she said leaning on the frame looking incredibly weary. "Nyota, am I glad to see you. We are so backed up in the long range sensory lab." Rubbing her eyes, she sighed. "The universal translators are still so poor when it comes to slang and unusual dialects..." Shaking her head she said, "And just as my best person comes back to me SI decides to pay me a surprise visit." Meeting Nyota's eyes she said, "I am so sorry about the wait. Are you ready to get back to work?"

Nyota nodded. "Yes, as soon as you want me."

Walking out of her of her office, Rodriguez said, "I want you now. Let's get to the array."

As they walked down the narrow corridor the Commander said. "There is a lot going on in the neutral zone right now. You heard about the Farragut attack - we're still not sure who knocked out the original Klingon vessels." Just before they entered the lab Rodriguez said, "Congratulations on your brother's nomination, by the way."

Nyota stopped. "What?"

"All charges against him have been dropped. And he has been nominated for the Civilian Medal of Valor." Stopping beside, Nyota, brow furrowing, the Commander said, "Didn't you know?"

Nyota shook her head mutely.

The Commander blinked. "Oh."

The Civilian Medal of Valor was the highest award Starfleet could bestow upon a civilian but...

Feeling her heart constrict, Nyota swallowed. "That award is usually given post posthumously."

The Commander tilted her head. "He isn't -" Her voice trailed off.

"I don't know," said Nyota.

The Commander looked away. "I don't know either." She scowled. "I had hoped you could tell me. His nomination was vague - it just said he'd done service above and beyond for the Federation."

Her eyes me Nyota's. "I can see I'm not the only person SI is keeping in the dark." She swallowed. "This is horrible for you. Are you sure you want to work tonight?"

Nyota looked at the double doors leading to the lab. The array - it might be the only hope she had of finding Jabari. "I'm positive," she said.

The Commander nodded.

They stepped through the double doors together. As the cool air hit her, Nyota felt her chest tighten even further - with pride. Her brother was the good man she always knew him to be, and with worry. She almost wished he'd stayed a small time pirate.

"What have you gotten yourself into, Jabari?" she whispered.

x x x x

"We're all going to die." Kanel whimpered through the frost of his own breath, shivering under his pile of thermal blankets. The whole crew was huddled in Jabari's cabin - the only room with life support. Rhin was stretched out on his bunk, still unconscious in the darkness.

"We've been in worse scrapes than this," Jabari lied.

Just then there was the sound of charges off in the distance. The ship rocked.

"Name one," said Tan miserably.

Jabari didn't answer. The _thing_ was still out there, dropping charges over their hidden refuge in the midst of the asteroid field trying to smoke them out. If it weren't for the vastness of the asteroid field, the cloaking abilities Rhin had given the _Equus_, and it's small size they would have been dead long ago. As it was they would be dead pretty damn soon anyway.

He looked over at her half closed eyes. Her face lit only by the green of her vital signs monitor - his alien sleeping beauty. It would be time to drain her hematoma soon, and then refresh the blood and pump it back into her. How long could they keep doing it?

Pulling his own pile of thermal blankets closer he leaned heavily against the wall. What the fuck had he gotten himself into?

**A/N:**

Hope this is a decent "pausing" point! If you read and enjoyed pls leave a review.


	22. The Downward Spiral

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to beta Notes from the Classroom. She finished her amazing "Crossing the Equator" and has begun writing a great new fic: "Twentyfour Hundred." It's in my faves; check it out.

SPECIAL AUTHOR'S NOTE:

When I began writing Descartes I did so without the benefit of reading the book or watching the deleted scenes of the movie. I didn't know about Nero's 25 years on the prison planet, so I made up my own story for him. In my universe he's been living in the neutral zone, raiding ships and keeping them as his own, and building up the Narada's defenses. He does go to Rura Penthe, and does destroy the Klingon Armada - but for slightly different reasons.

**The Downward Spiral**

Two miners scuffled past Ayel as he strode through the _Narada's_ labyrinthine halls. He heard the words "charges," "detonations," and "Nero will not be pleased." Scowling, Ayel stopped momentarily and watched them scurry to the lower decks. A gust of hot moist air rushing from an ad hoc exhaust port filled his nostrils - the _Narada's_ acrid breath. It set Ayel on his way again.

For the past two weeks they had been bombarding the asteroid field looking for the small ship, the _Equus_, that had somehow managed to escape the _Narada_ and her improvised fleet of stolen craft. No ship from this era should have been so fast. Nor should it have a cloaking device effective against the _Narada's_ sensors.

Ducking beneath a ventilation duct visibly vibrating with the hum of the ship's engines, he frowned. There had been one defector, years ago, with the technical expertise to pull off such modifications. She hadn't been a native of the _Narada's_ crew and had not been privy to their entire scheme - her loss hadn't been deemed a serious breach.

From a few decks below came the sounds of shouts as more charges were released.

What's more, according to their sources, she was dead. Could they have been wrong?

Ayel's scowl deepened as he approached the bridge. Seeking the _Equus_ was foolishness; it diverted men from the task of repairs. The destruction of Delta-A 93 had been useful - it revealed weaknesses in their drilling equipment that would need to be repaired before an effective war on the Federation could be launched. But Nero was obsessed with the little ship. Perhaps the news Ayel brought now could jolt him out of this unhealthy misdirection.

Stepping through the doors locked in open position, Ayel nodded at two guards as he approached Nero. The _Narada's_ captain was pacing by the view screen.

Ayel thought he had not been noticed, but Nero, ever unpredictable, spun on his heels and shouted, "Well! Have you found them?"

Restraining the slick icy pang of dread that still sometimes came over him in his superior's presence, Ayel said, "No, but I have more pressing news."

Nero regarded Ayel coolly for a moment. Ayel waited, trying to discern the direction Nero's madness would take today.

"Out with it!" Nero said.

Well, he wasn't launching inanimate objects across the bridge or in Ayel's direction. That boded well.

"Noxisa and Trajans are alive," Ayel said. The two had vanished a few weeks ago while on an independent survey mission. "They were captured by Klingons and have been sent to Rura Penthe."

"How did this happen?" bellowed Nero.

"They did report engine trouble," said Ayel.

"Our ships do not have engine trouble!" Nero hissed.

Ayel shook his head. It _was_ odd, but...

"The vessels of this time are not as reliable as our own."

Nero grunted. It could have been anger or agreement or both.

"We are so close to our objective," Ayel said. "Their capture will not likely affect our plans." He glanced around the room. The eyes of the crew had left their tasks - the weight of their attention was on Nero. The pressure in the room seemed to increase slightly.

Staring at the floor, Nero said, "Why haven't Noxisa and Trajans committed suicide?"

Tilting his head, Ayel considered. Noxisa and Trajans were a quiet couple, extremely diligent, devoted to the cause. Ayel himself was perplexed as to the reason for their continued survival. "The exact circumstances of their captivity is not known. It is quite possible they are not able to."

Lifting his head, Nero snarled. "Quite possible? Quite possible? It is assured they cannot! None of my crew would be so disloyal!"

Ayel swallowed.

Turning to the navigator, Nero barked. "Change course to Rura Penthe! None of our own will rot in a Klingon prison cell."

The bridge seemed to let out a collective breath around Ayel, and then everything was in motion as the crew set about following their master's latest order. Their movements seemed more assured somehow, faster, determined. Ayel tilted his head. Of course, their master had renewed their loyalty and faith with his show of loyalty and faith. This was why Ayel allowed Nero to play the leader.

And during the trip to Rura Penthe, Ayel could complete repairs to the drill and still be ready for the firefight with the Klingon Armada surely guarding Rura Penthe. In fact, he was somewhat pleased. For decades the Narada had been pillaging the weapons of ships from this time and modifying them with the technology of the future. Now would be an excellent time to test them.

Releasing a breath, Ayel said, "I will discontinue the bombardment of the asteroid field."

Nero only nodded, his eyes locked on the viewscreen and expanse of space between the _Narada_ and Rura Penthe.

x x x x

In the long range sensor array, Chang-He was leaning over the station in front of him. One hand pressed to an earbud, he said, "Rura Penthe is under attack. But the Universal Translator doesn't understand the language of the attackers!"

Nyota nodded. She switched off her UT. It was only spilling out gibberish anyways. "It's Romulan," she said.

"That's not Romulan," said Chang-He.

"It _is_ Romulan," said Nyota. "Just not the high speak. Call the Commander now - I'll keep listening."

Technically, Nyota wasn't Chang-He's superior. But he didn't argue. "Right," was all he said.

A few hours later Nyota was standing at attention in a briefing room with Commander Rodriguez and Commander Baranjee. Baranjee was young; he looked like he was just over thirty...and he was Starfleet Intelligence.

He was reading a PADD with Nyota's translations that Rodriguez had just handed him.

"The Klingon Empire and the Romulan Empire are now effectively at war," Baranjee said and let out a low hmmmm.

Nyota took a slight step forward. "With respect, Sir. I don't think it is the Empire. All of the records we have of the Romulan centurions have them speaking High Speak. From some accounts, it is drilled into them in basic training."

Baranjee didn't look at Nyota; he looked at Rodriguez. Nyota's commander met Baranjee's eyes. "Lieutenant Uhura is my best translator. The UT couldn't handle this translation; it was all her. If she says their dialect proves these weren't centurions, I'm inclined to believe her."

Baranjee's eyes went to Uhura. "So what are you saying, Lieutenant? That a whole Klingon armada was destroyed by what...a group of rough and hardy Romulan freighter pilots who just happened to be in the area?"

Forcing herself to keep her voice leve,l Nyota said, "I'm sure it was far more organized than that, Sir. Terrorist groups throughout the centuries have sometimes managed to surprise their enemies with the level of sophistication and -"

"This was not a loose group of terrorists, Lieutenant," Baranjee snapped. "Dismissed."

Nyota bit her tongue; she had to keep quiet - and her access to the long range sensor array. It wasn't just vital to her career, it was the only way she might ever find her brother. Her eyes went to Rodriguez. The Commander nodded at her. Spinning on her heels, Nyota strode from the room, her boots making an angry staccato sound on the cold linoleum floor.

Spock and Nyota had discussed the situation in the neutral zone many times. Hadn't Spock said that it was a tinderbox about to erupt? She'd felt like she'd just seen the fuse lit. No, wait, of course Spock hadn't said that. It was something Jim Kirk had said.

Swearing under her breath, she approached the exit so quickly the motion sensor didn't have time to detect her. Heaving at the door, she scowled. She'd promised Jim Kirk she'd take communications in his third attempt at the Kobayshi Maru tomorrow. Just what she didn't want to be doing when the galaxy went up in flames.

x x x x

The world was on fire around Trajans. The sound of crackling and the thud of falling debris filled his ears. The skeleton of the Rura Penthe interrogation facility sent charred ribs up to the sky. The sky itself was alight with unnatural stars.

He was dying; he knew that somehow. His body was in shreds, and he yet he felt no pain, not even from the burn at the base of his skull where Nero's phaser had so haphazardly grazed him a few hours ago. A few inches away from his head, strewn perpendicular to his own body, lay Noxisa, her body already cold.

Nero and the crew had come to rescue Noxisa and Trajans on Rura Penthe. How could Trajans have doubted they would? Nero was loyal to his crew - and they had spies everywhere.

When Trajans and Noxisa's betrayal had been discovered, Nero had summarily executed them. Or tried to. The would-be-rescuers turned executionors had been under fire from Klingon troops on the ground. Nero's phaser hadn't quite met its mark..

"_Captain Nero, Noxisa has just recently undergone childbirth." _The memory of the medic reading aloud the tricorder display brings a bitter smile to Trajan's face. No children were allowed aboard the _Narada_. All her crew had been sterilized - but there had been a mistake. No, two. They could have aborted the baby...

But they chose to flee. His eyes burned and blurred. He saw the wisdom in the mandatory sterilizations now. An unborn baby made him abandon his oath of loyalty. He had only seen the thing for a few seconds, when his Klingon captors held the tiny newborn creature up to motivate him to divulge more information. It was probably dead.

"_You would abandon me for one child? You would abandon all the children of Romulus for one child!" _The memory of Nero's rage washed through him. Made him convulse.

He and Noxisa were fools. His eyes squeezed together sharply and he gasped.

Opening his eyes, he blinked. He still was on Rura Penthe but above him was a face that was not Klingon - Romulan, Vulcan or Human maybe? The young man's ears were hidden behind long black hair streaked with gray. Were the eyebrows slanted? Trajan couldn't tell. The face was upside down from his perspective and his vision was rapidly darkening.

"Brother," said the stranger in the high speak Romulan of the upper class. "Would you like some water?" His words were laced with benevolence so deep Trajans could feel it to the tips of his fingers which tingled oddly.

Brother. Romulan then. Trajans was suddenly sure that he was already dead and that above him was one of the Guiding Ones come to take him to his next home in the afterlife.

But even if he was dead his throat was parched with the smoke. "Please," he said, too tired to contemplate the oddness of a spirit requiring water.

Pulling a flask from his belt, the stranger bent down. One hand went to cradle the back of Trajan's neck, another brought a flask to his lips.

Closing his eyes and taking a grateful sip, Trajans felt the events of the future washing through his mind - and events of his recent past. The arrival in this time. The decades long wait for Spock. The hijacking and stealing of ships, and disposal of their crews. The capture of Ambassador Spock, and the plans to abandon him on Delta Vega to watch Vulcan's destruction.

His blood began to boil with rage and some part of Trajans' ancient instinctual mind awoke. He was being mentally invaded.

His eyes widened. He hissed. "You are not a Romulan!"

Above him the stranger's face was contorted in rage. Which didn't make sense. No Vulcan's face would twist like that. But he _was_ Vulcan. Trajans knew that somehow, just as he knew his mind had just been mentally pillaged.

"You would destroy a whole people for something that has not come to pass?"

Trajans hissed and spat. "Get away from me, Vulcan scum!"

"As you wish," said the stranger, pulling away quickly.

Trajans' head hit the ground with a hard thump and then there was real blackness.

Standing, the stranger looked around the burnt husk of the Klingon building and up at the sky filled with shooting stars.

Scowling, he said, "a battle," to no one in particular.

Heaving out what could have been a sigh or a snarl, he turned to walk through the rubble. Explosions rumbled in the distance, fires crackled, and smoldering buildings tumbled. Cocking his head to the side, the stranger stopped as though he heard something very faint - though that would be impossible in the furious angry chorus of destruction around him.

Changing direction abruptly, he walked to what was left of a room - four walls and a partial roof. A dead female Klingon guard lay sprawled at the entrance. Her phaser was drawn and ready, the traditional uniform of the Rura Penthe keepers stained with green. Stepping over her body, the stranger made his way into the darkness beyond.

On a table lay a naked Romulan newborn boy, completely quiet and still.

Clenching his fists, for a moment the stranger just scowled at it. Turning its head away from the stranger's gaze, the baby let out a soft wail.

The stranger unclenched his fists. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Opening them, he approached the baby. "Forgive me, small one. You have no part in this."

Picking up the crying newborn, the stranger touched his forehead with two fingers. The wailing ceased immediately. Removing his fingertips from the baby, he brought out his flask. Opening the spout just a little he offered it to the baby. The boy sucked gratefully from it.

"We are both lost," the stranger sighed, watching the baby drink. Clutching the newborn more tightly to him, he stepped over the Klingon woman again and made his way once more through the rubble. To the infant and the universe at large he said, "Now you may call me Sybok...but what shall I call you?"

x x x x

Kanel, Jabari and Denil hovered in the _Equus_' dark bridge. They'd turned off the gravity to conserve power. Their breath was icy clouds in front of their faces; they had turned down the thermostat, too. The bombardment by the ship...or whatever it was, had ceased hours ago. Sensors could no longer detect the black vessel in the area.

Jabari looked at them. "Everyone sure about this?" This wasn't something he felt comfortable ordering them to do.

"Yeah," said Denil. Rubbing the ridges of his nose, the Bajoran nodded. "Yeah, and that goes for Tan, too."

Tan was in the back, draining Rhin's hematoma with a localized transport and recycling her blood - once again.

"We don't have any choice," Kanel sighed. "The warp coils aren't going online without parts we don't have, we're light years from anything, and we're running out of food."

"And oxygen," said Denil.

"Just get it over with," Kanel said with a hiss.

Nodding, Jabari gave his Ferengi first one last look. And then he pressed the emergency hail.

"Maybe Starfleet will pick us up first," said Denil.

"Maybe," said Jabari. But he didn't believe it. Vulcans had faster ships.

**A/N:**

Thanks everyone who has come back to read this after my (several) absences.

If you read and enjoyed (Like the cameo by Sybok? Kind of like running into an old friend?), please leave a review!


	23. Disobedience

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to Notes from the Classroom. Check out her latest "Twentyfour Hundred" in my faves!

**Disobedience**

In the _Kobayashi Maru_ simulation Nyota did not even try to hide her anger at Kirk, even though she knew Spock was filling in for Professor Matsumura today and would be witness to her unprofessional behavior. She couldn't help herself; no, didn't want to help herself.

Maybe Gaila didn't mind being a notch in Kirk's belt, but Nyota loathed that Kirk would do that to her roommate. And he had the nerve to flirt with Nyota during his inglorious exit from her room!

How could Gaila not see how repellent he was?

Now, he was shamelessly _eating an apple_ during the simulation that he had begged to take a _third_ time. The simulation that he was going to _fail._

She was shaking her head at her console when the lights in the simulation room flickered off.

A few minutes later Uhura's forehead was in her hands as Kirk strutted through the simulation room, partially eaten apple in hand.

"So," he said in full gloat mode. "We've managed to eliminate all enemy ships, nobody aboard was injured, and the successful rescue of the _Kobayashi Maru_ is underway."

He took another bite of his apple and Nyota rolled her eyes. She didn't know how he pulled this stunt - because it was a stunt, not an honest victory.

She did know Spock was pissed.

x x x x

Commander T'Quilloc stared at the comm, for 2.37 seconds unable to speak. Feeling the curl of a snarl tugging at her lips, she pooled all her mental resources into keeping her face tranquil. Focusing on the steady hum of the Vulcan ship's engines, she made her mind as empty as the field of stars beyond the asteroid field.

"With all due respect, Executive Commander," T'Quilloc said, startled by the neutrality in her own voice, "the _Equus_' shields are down, and we are so close to the vessel my Guardsmen can feel the crew are ready to surrender."

On the other end of the comm Executive Commander Tlarark did not flinch or waver. He was older than T'Quilloc. He was not a bond-mate of a guardsman, though he was T'Quilloc's direct superior.

It was illogical that this bothered her.

"They have evaded capture too many times. The Council has decreed this time we will take no risks," Tlarark said.

Behind her T'Quilloc heard the door slide open and close, and the soft footfalls of feet on the steel deck of the ready room.

Not moving, T'Quilloc said, "I do not believe the use of force is necessary," surprising herself yet again with her direct questioning of orders. Was it a rational response, or was she being pulled along into her bondmate's slow, inexorable creep into madness? She could feel how perilous Novasch's psyche was. They should not have been separated...

Her fist clenched at her side.

"You have your orders," Tlarark said evenly.

There was a barely audible sound of the visitor in the room shifting slightly on their feet.

"This conversation is over," Tlarark said. The comm went black.

T'Quilloc turned. T'Direl, one of the two Guardsmen under her command, was there. T'Direl tilted her head and blinked eyes still black, un-grayed by the stress of her position.

A thought flew briefly through T'Quilloc's mind. She could do more than question orders; she _could_ outright _defy_ them. The concept fluttered briefly at the forefront of T'Quilloc's consciousness. Was defiance logical in this instance? T'Quilloc could no longer judge. Nor could she use Novasch as a sounding board for her dilemma. He was too burdened - too far away mentally to be a help. Like all her troubles she did her best to keep this problem from him.

Because she no longer could judge, there was only one option.

When she met the security detail, medics, and the guard teams a few minutes later in the transporter room, T'Quilloc said, "Draw weapons. Set to stun and fire on sight."

x x x x

"Why aren't they talking to us?" said Kanel, hovering in the frigid bridge.

"I don't know," said Jabari. This did not bode well. The Vulcan ship had arrived a few hours after they'd first made their hail. According to the _Equus'_ sensors, they were parked only meters away.

"We broadcast our surrender," said Denil. "Maybe they didn't hear it?"

Staring at the black comm screen, Jabari scowled. "No," he said, thumbing the phaser in his holster. "They heard." He loosened the weapon slightly and almost unconsciously set it to stun.

"What do we do?" said Denil.

"Go back and wait with Tan and Rhin," said Jabari. It didn't make strategic sense. He just wanted to be near Rhin. "The Vulcans may not trust us...but if we play nice, I'm sure they will too." He wasn't at all certain though. Smiling tightly, he pushed off and over the comm station to the door.

"We obviously have something they want," he muttered to no one in particular. "Playing nice would help expedite them getting it - and only be logical, right?"

"Yeah," he heard Denil say.

"Vulcans don't care for latinum...right, boss?" said Kanel, referring to the crate of raw ore he'd managed to recover from Delta A-930.

Rolling his eyes, Jabari almost laughed at the Ferengi's one track mind.

They had just pushed themselves into the slightly warmer confines of Jabari's cabin and closed the door when they heard the tell tale sound of transporter static in the hallway.

Denil looked at Jabari, who was pulling himself to sit down by Rhin.

"Boss?" said the Bajoran.

Nodding tightly, his mouth suddenly dry, Jabari said, "Go ahead. Open the door."

Jabari turned his head to look at Rhin. "I'm sorry, Baby. I hope this is the right thing."

An explosion ripped from Denil's direction. The Bajoran and the door went flying through the air and crashed into the wall above the bunk but did not fall in the asteroid's almost non-existent gravity. Phaser fire whizzed through the small cabin.

Something snapped in Jabari's brain. He found himself covering Rhin with his own body, his phaser out of his holster, the words, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death," on his lips.

Tan and Kanel crumpled beside him, but not before Tan shot a Vulcan officer - revealing two gray guards, and two more Vulcan officers beyond.

_Put down your weapon!_

The words played in his mind, uninvited, unwelcome. Jabari's stomach dropped.

"I will fear no evil!" he shouted, loosing two bursts. Lights blurred in his eyes, his shoulder burned, and the world went dark.

x x x x

"You cannot revive them?" T'Quilloc asked the medic kneeling over the Guardsmen. Her crew had repaired the warp coils - anxious to bring power to the little ship and see how it managed to outrun the fastest in the Vulcan fleet. With the restored power source they'd turned up the heat, lighting and the gravity

"Not without risking permanent brain injury," the medic said, putting away a tricorder. "They should awake within a few hours on their own."

T'Quilloc tilted her head. Once again, the human had managed to activate the portion of his brain responsible for spirituality and evade the Guards' control. Novasch would find it fascinating.

It turned out the human was an excellent shot, too - both the Guards were down. Fortunately, her security personnel relied on more direct methods to subdue foes.

Turning, T'Quilloc said. "What of the Romulan?"

The medic attending the alien woman was holding a pen-shaped device with a beam of light directed at her skull. "I have just located the hematoma. Repairs will take approximately 10 minutes. Then I will give her a transfusion of synth plasma. She should be ready for questioning within 12 minutes."

The Vulcans had moved all members of Captain Jabari's crew from the tiny cabin except the Romulan and the Captain himself. The Romulan they'd they'd left on the bunk.

T'Quilloc looked at the human man, lying on the floor opposite the bed. She remembered how he'd stretched out over the unconscious Romulan during the brief fire fight. Had his action to protect the woman been deliberate or instinctive? Did premeditation even matter when the act itself was selfless?

"Should I wake them?" asked the medic by the Gray Guards. It was a logical question. The good of the many...

Spinning quickly, T'Quilloc said, "No." Kovork and T'Llinal, the bond-mates of the fallen guards, met her eyes - a show of emotion that T'Quilloc would not judge. Nodding at them, she turned her head back to Jabari.

There were other ways to do this now that their quarry was immobilized and unconscious. Walking over and kneeling on one knee, she brought her fingers to Jabari's temples.

A few minutes later she drew back her fingers in fury. She restrained a curse. She should have disobeyed orders.

"Commander?" asked Kovork.

"He knows nothing about the Romulan that is helpful to us," T'Quilloc said. She didn't speak of the memories Jabari had of rescuing the Romulan...or the feelings, the tenderness he had for her...for _Rhinnea_. But she did say, "He had no desire to engage us in a fight. He and his crew had every intention of cooperating."

She noticed the medics had turned their heads to her. Kovork's and T'Llinal's gaze was unwavering.

Had she spat out those words?

It was only logical to obey _appropriate_ orders. Why hadn't she disobeyed?

T'Quilloc took a deep breath and looked at Rhin. Perhaps it was better this way. Rhin would not have to remember anything.

She took a deep breath, cleared her mind, and approached Rhinnea, hand outstretched to the Romulan's temple.

x x x x

The comm rang as Sarek and Amanda sat down for their morning tea.

Starting, Amanda moved to get up, but Sarek put his hand on hers. "I will get that," he said. She had not slept well the night before. All night Sarek had struggled with feelings from a bond he had thought he had successfully suppressed - his bond to his son Sybok. He could feel his estranged son's distress and could neither help Sybok nor turn off the sensations. Sarek's own distress had seeped into Amanda's dreams.

Now she nodded, but he felt her concern.

As Sarek walked down the hall, the comm ID sounded, _"Doctor T'Elle."_

Shocked, Sarek stopped, then resumed his steps more quickly. In his office he sat down and hit the comm accept button. Sybok's former bond mate filled the screen. Her black hair was cut shorter than when he'd last seen her, her cheeks were gaunter. But she still looked very young - well, she was very young, only 32, just like Sybok. Had his son changed as little?

He tilted his head and suppressed the question. "Greetings, T'Elle," he said. He had no quarrel with her, or with her dissolution of the bond with Sybok.

"Sarek," she said, "Forgive the intrusion. Do you know where Sybok is?"

"No," said Sarek.

Her eyes widened ever so slightly. Behind her he made out what appeared to be a ship. She had gone to the VSA and studied astrophysics. It wasn't surprising that she would be off world.

"He is in danger," T'Elle said.

Sarek swallowed. He did not say _I know_ - although he did know. His mind was churning. She was calling; she was still connected to his son in some way.

T'Elle leaned forward, "You must let me speak to the High Council. Ambassador, we are all in danger -"

Far off in the distance Sarek heard a rumble that grew louder until it was a roar. Everything in the room began to shake and the screen in front of him went black.

x x x x

Sitting in the assembly room, Nyota tilted her head in irritation.

"...the test itself is a cheat, isn't it?" Kirk said.

Nyota scowled. She'd expected denial. He was admitting to sabotage?

"You programmed it to be unwinnable," Kirk said.

That was a theory whispered among the cadets. Was it true? Sliding her eyes to her lover, Nyota found herself holding her breath.

"Your argument precludes the possibility of a no-win scenario," Spock said.

The breath she was holding suddenly came out in a gasp. It was true, then.

"I don't believe in no-win scenarios."

Nyota scowled. How many times had Kirk said that to her when making a pass?

"Then not only did you violate the rules, you failed to understand the principal lesson," Spock said. She frowned. It was an inconsequental thought, but it came to her in that moment that she did not like him in the gray instructor's uniform. It made him look stiffer than he actually was, and effete.

"Please, enlighten me," said Kirk, turning to Spock.

Kirk was actually fighting this? Nyota scowled again, but this time because she was perplexed.

"You of all people should know, Cadet Kirk, a Captain cannot cheat death," said Spock.

Murmurs went up through the assembled cadets. Of course, everyone knew about Kirk's father, how he saved 800 Starfleet personnel - and lost his life doing it. Although...Nyota looked down. Come to think of it, she'd never heard Kirk himself talk about his father.

Kirk was silent for a heart beat. And then, looking down at his podium, he said, "I of all people." There was something, the way he hung his head...

Swallowing, Nyota felt her heart going out to him.

"Your father, Commander George Kirk, assumed command of his vessel, before being killed in action, did he not?" Spock said.

For a moment Kirk looked discommbobulated, his head moved from side to side, as though he didn't know where he was, as though he were lost.

Sitting up stiffly, Nyota shook her head. He had cheated on the _Kobayashi Maru_. Shagged her roommate and then made a crude pass at Nyota - in front of her roommate. He did not deserve any pity.

Turning sharply to Spock, Kirk said, "I don't think you like the fact that I beat your test," and Nyota smiled knowingly. For the first time in the proceeding he was sounding like the petulant, arrogant, obnoxious Kirk that she knew.

Kirk turned his eyes back to the Admirals.

"Furthermore, you failed to divine the purpose of the test," said Spock.

Facing Spock once more, Kirk said, "Enlighten me again." The petulance was gone. He was fighting.

...If he would only apologize, say that he'd made an error in judgement, maybe the brass would be forgiving. It wasn't a test that one got _graded_ on, after all. Nyota shook her head. Was she hoping Kirk wouldn't be drummed out?

Spock tilted his head. "The purpose is to experience fear. Fear in the face of certain death. To accept that fear and maintain control of oneself and one's crew."

Kirk's head dropped.

"This is a quality expected in every Starfleet Captain," Spock finished.

Kirk said nothing. The crowd around Nyota was absolutely silent.

And then a motion from the front of the room caught Nyota's eye. A messenger approached Admiral Barrett and handed him a PADD.

Looking up quickly, the Admiral said, "We've received a distress call from Vulcan. With our primary fleet engaged in the Laurentian System, I hereby order all cadets to Hangar 1 immediately. Dismissed."

**A/N:**

I hope it comes through here that I actually _like _Kirk. Yes, he was a skunk to Gaila - although we're not really sure what his real feelings were. He didn't seem sure himself! But he also seemed so vulnerable to me in the movie at the same time that he saved the Galaxy. I wound up liking him more than the TOS Kirk who just seemed so cock-sure and perfect. Even TOS's exes seemed to like him! (Except for Janice Lester, of course).

Anyway, if you read and enjoyed, let me know!

...Next Chapter...Rhinnea's story.


	24. Rhin

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to Notes from the Clasroom for reading this and betaing.

**Rhin**

Pulling the tea cup to his lips, Novasch paused and let the steam billow up to his nostrils. He tilted his head. The humidity of San Francisco was so high that the additional moisture was barely noticeable. Fascinating.

He flexed his fingers against the delicate cup. He could not see it. Toshi was across from him in the small Academy break room, but Novasch didn't wish to be in his mind. Toshi worried too much about Novasch lately. It depressed Novasch to be with Toshi now. And it depressed him not to be with Toshi. So here he was, for what Toshi was calling, "Take your Vulcan to work day."

In the hallway beyond the breakroom there was the sudden sound of footsteps. They were disorderly, loud, and Novasch couldn't help but _feel_ the sense of restrained panic, excitement and curiosity coursing through the air.

"What is going on?" Toshi asked.

And then there was the sound of more familiar footsteps. Novasch raised his head. Licking his lips in the direction of the doorway he said, "Patrick." His heart rate increased and he gently set the cup down.

"Novasch," the human responded. They had not spoken since the incident with Lieutenant Uhura.

"What's going on?" Toshi said again.

"There was a general distress call from Vulcan," said Patrick and Novasch blinked.

"Most of the fleet is in the Lorencian system," Patrick continued. "A few of us who were formerly active duty are going to volunteer. We dismissed our classes..."

His voice trailed off, but Novasch did not hear the retreat of his footsteps.

"Do you know what's going on Novasch?" Patrick said.

Vulcans weren't terribly good at smiling, so Novasch didn't attempt it, although he felt what a human felt when they smiled. It was so good to be addressed, to be treated as useful instead of with suspicion. "My relatives have felt some minor quakes," Novasch said. "But nothing serious." In fact he hadn't given it any thought. Tremors were quite common on Vulcan. "I am surprised by the distress call."

"Maybe one of the larger cities was hit?" said Toshi.

"Yeah, well, communications are down," said Patrick.

"That is odd," said Novasch, his eyes blinking reflexively.

Patrick's comm beeped, "I've been assigned to the Farragut," he said. "I have to go."

"Eh," said Toshi and Novasch heard the sound of his chair scraping on the floor as he stood. "Good luck."

Picking up his tea again, Novasch focused on the calm steady buzz that was always at the back of his mind. He was not deceived by the calmness. He knew T'Quilloc had been trying to protect him of late from her worries and fears. Normally he didn't dig, gave her her privacy. But this time he focused in...gently.

x x x x

T'Quilloc's fingers hesitated in the air above Rhinnea. She knew some of Rhin's history from Novasch and Dr. Kurniadi's nightmares. This was not a place she wanted to go.

Letting her fingers fall upon the alien's temple, T'Quilloc went anyway. The Romulan's skin was not cold like her human companion's, and for a moment it was disquieting. Rhin was so...Vulcan.

_Rhin._ In T'Quilloc's own internal dialogue she had begun referring to the Romulan by the name Jabari used for her.

Closing her eyes, T'Quilloc pushed past any urge for reflection and her instinct to hesitate, letting her mind slide up against Rhin's. In the Romulan's unconscious state at first this just meant being acutely aware of the woman's heart beat and the soft inflation and deflation of her lungs. T'Quilloc let her own breathing and heart rate fall into Rhin's rhythm. She became Rhin.

It was surprisingly easy to navigate in the Romulan's mind. T'Quilloc merely had to wonder "Where did you/I come from?"

In a human mind the question would have called a thousand disorganized memories. In Rhin's mind there was only one memory. T'Quilloc was suddenly an infant in a orphanage on Remus, in the arms of an attendant who infant Rhin/T'Quilloc adored. The eidetic Vulcan nature of the memory was fascinating, and T'Quilloc might have had an urge to ruminate over it if it weren't for the very Vulcan-like timestamp on the memory, 2347 - 129 years in the future.

Shocked, T'Quilloc's heart beat too fast, and her breath caught in her lungs waking Rhin's conscious. _Who are you what are you doing here..._

Stilling her heart and regulating her breathing, T'Quilloc let herself be Rhin again.

_How did you/I get here, get to now..._

_From the future that was the past._

Rhin's mind balked at the inquiry. It was a place she didn't want to go either.

T'Quilloc stood on the precipice between herself and Rhin and then steeled her mind. She would not attempt to be the Romulan. She pushed past Rhin's hesitation and _saw..._

Rhin was in the engine room, sweating by the warp coils of a small supply freighter, the _Nei'heart._ It was an ordinary trip to an ordinary mining vessel, the _Narada_. Rhin was very happy in this ordinariness. The crew of the _Nei'heart_ was like her family. Captain Tolog and Centrene, his wife, like her parents.

T'Quilloc felt herself pulled into Rhin's desire to reminisce about this foster family but resisted.

_What happened?_

The feelings of affection vanished, and the memories began to play again like a scene from a holovid.

The _Nei'heart_ has just disengaged its couplings to the _Narada_ when the intercom next to Rhin buzzed. Captain Tolog's voice came on, thick with age. "Rhin, we've just received a galaxy wide distress call. Romulus' star is about to go supernova; prepare to go to maximum warp. We're going to try and aid in evacuation efforts!"

Another voice came over the intercom, younger, unfamiliar. "Captain Tolog, this is Captain Nero. We're withdrawing our drill to aid in evacuation efforts on Romulus..."

"Understood," said Centrene. "Receiving message. The Federation is sending a ship with Ambassador Spock to the Romulan system."

Rhin heard Nero roar. "One ship? With one Vulcan!"

The next thing that stood out in Rhin's memories was Captain Tolog's voice saying, "Romulus is gone!"

And there was the voice of Nero, "Spock and the Federation betrayed us!"

"He appears to have created a singularity. Perhaps with red matter," said Centrene. "It should have absorbed the supernova's -"

"He will pay!" screamed Nero.

Rhin heard something that sounded like a comm link disengaging. And then Captain Tolog's voice came on, "We're being pulled into the singularity!"

"The _Narada _is gone!" said Centrene.

T'Quilloc watched as the _Nei'heart _lurched and Rhin's world went black.

Rhin's eyes opened into unfamiliar darkness, the stench of oil and grease. A man she did not recognize with face emblazoned with mourning marks bent over her, long tendrils of unwashed hair stretching down to her face. "Well, we did not expect to find you there. Lucky."

"Where are Tolog and Centrene?" Rhin gasped.

"Dead," said another voice.

With effort, Rhin turned her head and saw another stranger with mourning marks on her filthy face. "We took the liberty of giving you the markings..."

"Where are we?" said Rhin.

The first one laughed. "Not where, when...2248."

"We have to warn Romulus," choked Rhin, moving her feet over the edge of the bed.

Hissing, the man said, "Don't you think that is the first thing we tried? We've been here for the past fifteen years - we've tried and they don't believe us!"

"So now we seek vengeance," said the woman.

Squinting into the darkness, Rhin said, "Vengeance?"

"Against Spock, the Vulcans and the Federation that will not save us!" hissed the first stranger.

T'Quillock wanted to pull away, but the memories picked up speed, like a lazy river coming to a hill and she was dragged along with the current.

She saw Rhin escaping the _Narada_, running through long tunnels to her ship, and then dodging weapons whose strength would not be known for another century. She tried to get to Romulus. But her ship ran out of fuel and was intercepted by the human double agent Simeone in Romulan guise.

With horror T'Quilloc saw Rhin on hands and knees in front of Simeone and a true Romulan, in the robes of the high houses. His hair and clothes were so neat, his demeanor so distant he could have been Vulcan.

"She is of no house. She belongs to a death cult. Do what you will with her," he said as though discussing the fate of a spare PADD.

And then Simeone's breath was brushing cold against Rhin's cheek as a Gorn pushed a knee into her back.

"I have a lot of wants," said Simeone.

_Pull away, k'diwa!_

It was Novasch. Gasping, T'Quilloc pulled her hand away from Rhin's temple. Rhin lay on the bed, unmoving.

T'Quilloc took a deep breath. Images of the _Narada_ filled her mind, the ferocity of its weapons, the strengths of its shields. It wasn't enough to go up against a Vulcan armada.

Novasch's mind brushed against hers, bubbling excitedly. _Unless they have harnessed the power of the singularity. _

T'Quilloc looked at Rhin. That was not in the Romulan's memories...but.

Standing and hitting her comm T'Quilloc said, "Beam the landing party up and set course for Vulcan." They had no need of the _Equus_ anymore; her team had surveyed its' warp core and studied its' shields. They would be able to use what they'd learn to modify Vulcan ships.

_"And the crew of the Equus?" _said her communications officer.

T'Quilloc looked at Rhin. "I have all I need," T'Quilloc said. And Rhin had earned some peace. "Leave them here."

x x x x

Watching Patrick's frame disappear down the hallway Toshi sighed. He turned back towards his chair. He was just about to sit down when Novasch suddenly pushed away from the table. The teacup in Novasch's hands slipped from the Vulcans fingers, as though he'd forgotten it was there.

Watching it fall and shatter on the floor, Toshi felt a tremendous weight settle on his lungs.

"Toshi, I need your eyes," Novasch said.

**A/N:**

**If you read and enjoyed, please leave a review! It's hard writing about the destruction of Vulcan...and well, there will be happy endings for some, but not for all. :-(**


	25. Decisions

Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.

Special thanks to my beta Notes from the Classroom. Check out her latest, 2400 in my faves!

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**In the last chapter it was unclear that T'Quilloc left Jabari and his crew aboard the **_**Equus **_**in the asteroid when she went back to Vulcan (the warp engines are mostly fixed, so it wasn't cruel). In the revision T'Quilloc reflects "Rhin deserved some peace" - so it wasn't an act of cruelty.**

**I apologize for the change.**

…**...**

**Decisions**

All staff assignments had been filled but one. Spock had left the most difficult for last. He still needed one more communications officer.

Nyota deserved the job, but Pike and Number One knew about his relationship to her and might question his judgement.

Now standing in the conference room with the other XO's, hastily building a crew for the unexpected relief mission to Vulcan, he was out of time.

"Lieutenant Uhura is still available," said Commander Atkinson of the Farragut. "Huh. Well, she's ours now."

Stiffening, Spock raised his stylus from his PADD but said nothing.

He stared at the balding pate of Atkinson's head; it was an odd detail to notice. Did his mind latch onto it because he didn't want to consider the feelings washing over him at the moment, dread mixed with a disquieting amount of relief? Atkinson's choice relieved him of having to make a decision.

And it was only one simple rescue mission...later she could request a transfer. Pike and One would see her accomplishments and take her aboard. The feeling of dread trickled through his consciousness again.

He tried to examine it; were his feelings for Nyota clouding his judgement or...

From the front of the room, Commander Soong said, "Meeting adjourned."

Falling into step with the others, Spock halted his introspection and stepped out into a hallway brightly lit by floor to ceiling windows. Stopping midstride, he stared out at the open plain of rolling grass and walkways between buildings known as the quad. Through the swirl of cadets in crimson, two figures stood out. A small Japanese man, in instructor gray, half walking, half jogging in the direction of the command building. Next to him a Vulcan with hair so gray it was nearly white, with his hand on the human's shoulder. The Japanese man stumbled, as though the weight on his shoulder was too heavy.

It probably was. Spock knew Novasch. His jaw tightened.

From down the hall, Commander Atkinson said, "Spock?"

There was nothing he could do about it now. Turning on his heel, he strode in Atkinson's direction.

x x x x

Giving Novasch his eyes had not been enough to steady him. Toshi had pulled Novasch's hand onto his shoulder to guide him physically.

T'Quilloc, and Vulcan were in danger, and Novasch seemed to have lost all of his ability to hold anything back. Toshi saw through T'Quilloc's eyes through the tunnel of Novasch's mind.

The day was beautiful and brilliant, and horrible and black - because Toshi's vision was in split screen, what was happening to T'Quilloc and what was here on Earth.

A brilliant burst of flame came towards T'Quilloc's ship and he and Novasch both stumbled as T'Quilloc stumbled.

"Open fire," T'Quilloc screamed, lightyears away, and directly in Toshi's ears. Or maybe Novasch had screamed.

"We have to get to command," Toshi said, pulling Novasch up, seeing students around them eye them warily.

"Do you need some help?" a girl said.

Toshi couldn't respond. It was too much effort to stay upright. The sun seemed to divide in two. Two fiery lights lowered in the sky and sped towards them and then there was a brilliant burst of flame. Toshi's face felt like it was on fire. Novasch screamed and fell forward. The earth seemed to be opening up; all Toshi could see was blackness as he fell beneath Novasch's weight. When his head hit the ground, it felt like a miracle that his body had been caught by grass and dirt, that he had not been swept into an abyss.

He could smell decay and hear the rustle of insects in the grass. The sun was bright overhead and his split screen was gone.

"Are you alright?" a young man asked.

Novasch. Toshi rolled over to his friend. Novasch's eyes were closed. Reaching over to his pulse points, Toshi exhaled quickly. He was still alive.

"We have to get to the hangar," someone said to the young man who addressed Toshi.

The attack on Vulcan. Toshi had to get to the war room and warn command - but there was no way they'd listen to him.

The crowd started to thin. Toshi reached down and grabbed his comm.

x x x x

Patrick had just finished strapping himself into the shuttle when his comm beeped. Picking it up, he noticed two new texts from Toshi and his wife, Katie. Doing what any well-trained husband would do, he looked at Katie's message first.

_Come home on your shield or not at all, _was all it said. A reference to the command Spartan women would give to their husbands before they went off into battle. Not that this was destined to be anything but a rescue mission, but Patrick still appreciated it. She was worried about him - heck, she worried about him going out to pick up milk on a rainy day, or after dark. But she was hiding it behind a veneer of bravado.

There were reasons he'd married her. Smiling, he awkwardly tapped out, _Luv U._

Down the aisle an attendant said, "Please turn off all electrical devices in preparation for take off."

Patrick almost put his comm away, but the shuttle wasn't full yet. He tapped a thumb to see Toshi's message and froze.

_Novasch down._

_Vulcan attacked._

_Help. Quad._

Swallowing, Patrick felt his heartbeat pick up a notch and the beginning of the prickle of sweat on his forehead.

Novasch was crazy. Maybe he'd just finally gone around the bend?

In 30 minutes he'd be on the _Farragut_ he could warn the captain then. Probably with a chuckle. If he could find the _captain_ of course. Who was the captain of the _Farragut_ these days? The captain might or might not forward the warning to Admiral Barnett in the war room here on Earth.

Patrick lifted his eyes and looked at his fellow passengers. They looked so young. They _were_ so young in every way. If there was real danger out there for them, his presence here might really be useful...

...only to the people in his immediate vicinity.

Oh, Hell.

x x x x

Nyota was on fire and she didn't try to keep the heat out of her voice. "Commander, a word." If you wanted Spock to 'catch' your emotions without a empathic link, you had to be obvious.

"Yes, Lieutenant," Spock said, not looking at her. She suspected he knew exactly what this was about. Was perhaps even a little ashamed for his part in it. Well, good.

Of all the times for him to put human propriety above Vulcan logic...She half had the urge to tell him he was being illogical directly, but that would be cruel, childish name calling, even if the description _fit_. She'd let him come to the conclusion himself.

"Was I not one of your top students?" she said.

"Indeed you were," Spock said, turning away from the readout he was analyzing.

He was not getting away.

"And did I not, on multiple occasions demonstrate exceptional aural sensitivity, and, I quote 'An unparalleled ability to identify sonic anomalies in subspace transmission tests'?" Uhura said, falling into step right behind him.

"Consistently, yes," said Spock.

"And while you are well aware that my unqualified desire is to serve on the _U.S.S. Enterprise_-" He turned to face her, his face uncharacteristically soft, and she _still_ wanted to strangle him. "-I am assigned to the Farragut?" Uhura finished.

"It was an attempt to..." his eyes slid to the side as someone walked a little too close, whether out of concern for being overheard, or because they guy had brushed her hip, it was hard to say. She stood her ground.

His eyes came back to hers. "...avoid the appearance of favoritism," he said.

"No, I'm assigned to the Enterprise."

He stared at her for a few seconds, then bent down to his PADD and tapped a few links. "Yes, I believe you are," he said, turning away without so much as a nod.

"Thank you," she said.

He did not respond. Uhura felt the heat in her face begin to subside. It was his planet that was in danger after all. She should cut him some slack.

Taking a deep breath, she was about to turn when gleaming red curls caught her eye across the hangar. It was Gaila on the top of the metal stairway leading to a shuttle entrance. Nyota might have been right behind her if she hadn't confronted Spock.

Gaila's back was to her, so Nyota couldn't wave, and she was too far away to call out.

Feeling a hollowness at the center of her stomach, Nyota bit her lip. It was only a rescue mission. It would be over soon...there was no reason to feel such...remorse?

As she thought this, Gaila was pushed roughly to the side. An older white haired man, built like a fire plug and wearing science blues, grabbed the handrails of the stairway like parallel bars. With speed and agility that belied his age, he slid down. As soon as his feet hit the floor, he sprinted towards the hangar exit. Nyota blinked.

It was Lieutenant Commander Patrick O'Hara.

The quarter master was yelling something at him that Nyota couldn't hear. Gaila must have turned to watch Patrick's retreat, because she wasn't facing the shuttle anymore. As she moved back to the entrance, her eyes landed on Nyota and she stopped. Shooting Nyota a quizzical look, she beckoned.

Shaking her head Nyota mouthed the words, "_Enterprise_."

Gaila's eyes got wide and then she smiled brightly and waved. Bouncing on the balls of her feet, her happiness for Nyota's good fortune beamed across the busy hangar.

Nyota grinned back and gave a short wave. Then she turned crisply and headed towards her shuttle.

Later, although it would have been completely out of line, she'd wish she argued for both her and Gaila to be transferred to the _Enterprise_. Or just at least that she'd waved a little longer.

**A/N:**

Blah. It was hard even just posting this.

If you read and enjoyed, in some twisted need a good downer sort of way, please leave a review.


	26. Going AWOL

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to Beta Notes from the Classroom. Check out her really fun "Twenty four hundred" in my faves.

**Going AWOL**

The quartermaster's voice rang through the hangar, "Sir, you will be considered AWOL."

Cursing under his breath, Patrick picked up his pace and hoped that Toshi wasn't wrong about this. And then immediately hoped that Toshi _was _wrong.

Slamming through two sets of fire doors, he blinked, momentarily blinded by the brightness of the day. An open service hover was heading in his general direction. "You heading towards campus?" Patrick said.

"Yes, sir," the driver said.

Patrick leaped aboard; the driver hit the brakes and stared at him.

"Carry on," said Patrick.

Frowning, the driver hit the acceleration with a scowl. As the little hover rocked, Patrick grabbed hold of a handrail.

Vulcan had its own self defense force. Although small in number, the Vulcan DF made up for it in sophisticated weaponry and intelligence.

If Toshi were right, how bad could it be?

x x x x

Spock walked beneath the still unfinished arches of the Enterprise's main receiving deck, a swirl with cadets in red, yellow and blue. He was still ill at ease but had not had a chance to reflect on the source of his disquiet.

Stepping into a turbolift, he found himself alone for the first time since the trial. Quickly scanning his mind, he located the source of the troublesome emotion. He tilted his head. He should have recognized it immediately, but he'd shut that part of himself off for so long.

The source was Sarek. And if Spock examined the feeling closer yet he could see that Sarek was trying to conceal his dread from him.

Amanda. Was she in danger? Spock tried to reach across the link to his father, but they had not been close for many years. Other than the feelings of apprehension, he could glean nothing.

The turbolift came to a halt and Spock walked onto the bridge, his pace 7% faster than normal.

3 minutes later Sulu failed to launch the Enterprise into warp. Knowing that he was interfering with what Captain Pike referred to as a "teachable moment," that unease compelled Spock to say to Sulu, "Have you disengaged the external inertial dampener?"

Thankfully, Captain Pike did not seem to notice Spock's agitation or comment on his outburst. .

x x x x

The quad was almost empty as Patrick raced up the small bluff. Toshi was kneeling next to Novasch. The Vulcan's body was twisted in the grass. Toshi was gently brushing pieces of grass from Novasch's front.

Panting, Patrick said, "What happened?"

"T'Quilloc died," said Toshi, setting up straight. "When the bond broke he passed out."

All the air rushed out of Patrick's lungs. He managed a small gasp. "What?"

"I saw it," said Toshi, not looking at Patrick or Novasch, but some unidentifiable spot in the distance. "The attack. I felt her die. I'm almost sure." Putting his hands on his thighs, Toshi nodded and said quietly. "We must wake him up. He needs to inform command. They won't trust me, neh?"

No, they wouldn't. Patrick wiped his face. His heart rate picked up a notch. Novasch was unsteady enough without T'Quilloc nearby; with T'Quilloc gone...Hell, _humans _went a little crazy when they lost a life partner - if he lost Katie...

"Patrick?" Toshi said.

Patrick looked at his friend. In his instructor grays, kneeling in the grass, hands on his thighs, Toshi looked a little liked a displaced samurai from a holovid.

"Patrick," said Toshi again. "We need to warn command."

Shaking himself, Patrick said, "Right." Kneeling besides Novasch's head, Patrick said, "I guess you've tried all the normal ways of waking him up?"

"Yes," said Toshi. "I called medical but they have not arrived yet."

"Well," said Patrick, pulling Novasch up by the shoulder. He was heavier than he looked, and hotter. The Vulcan's head lulled back. "This might work." Quickly giving the Vulcan's shoulder a forward tug that made his head roll forward, Patrick wound back a fist and punched him.

Novasch's head swung sideways, and the top half of his body fell back to the earth.

Patrick was about to try again when Novasch's eyes began to flutter. And then Patrick had a sickening sensation in the pit of his stomach, the blood behind his eyes felt hot, and he swore his heart literally stopped. He wasn't alone in his mind anymore, but the presence with him was not the mind of the Vulcan who was fascinated by gadgets, who would coax a fawn to nuzzle a child's hand. For a moment he was terrified and enraged. Then he heard Toshi say, "Novasch, we have to warn command."

The memories of the last few minutes whizzed by Patrick's eyes. What Patrick had seen. What he'd thought - Katie's note, how much he'd miss her if she was gone, Toshi the samurai and the reminiscence of the fawn.

He heard the sound of wind roaring in his ears, though that might have been an illusion, and felt blood rushing to his head. He suddenly felt empty. Completely drained and utterly alone.

"You are right," said Novasch, head still on the grass, blind eyes staring at the sky.

"Toshi and I will help you up," said Patrick, picking up one arm and slinging it over his shoulder. He nodded at Toshi to do the same. "You can use my eyes," Patrick added.

"Thank you," said Novasch, and Patrick could feel him again in his mind. There was no anger, no heat in his presence this time...there was no emotion at all. For some reason that made it all the more frightening.

x x x x

"_Our mission is to assess the condition of Vulcan, and assist in evacuations as necessary. We should be arriving at Vulcan within 10 minutes. Thank you for your time." _

Nodding to herself at acknowledgement of the mission statement, Nyota leaned over the cadet at the communications station.

"It doesn't make sense," she said. "Even if we aren't receiving any artificial subspace transmissions from Vulcan, we should be able to register some naturally occurring transmissions from the planet itself."

"It's almost as though the signals are being blocked," Cadet Howard said.

Feeling something akin to butterflies in her stomach, Uhura moved to her station. Just first mission jitters. Right. She looked at her station. Spock had said that systems aboard the ship were not all fully operational. "Computer, run full diagnostic scans of subspace receivers."

"_Affirmative,"_ said the computer

From behind her came a garbled, "Ulhurraaa..."

Turning in her chair, Nyota found herself staring at a sweaty, dishevelled, out-of-uniform Jim Kirk.

Springing to her feet she said, "Kirk, what are you doing here!"

Stammering, "Trrannsmission from Klingon prison planet..." he waved two oddly shaped balloons in her face...that weren't balloons.

"Oh, my God, what happened to your hands!" she cried.

"Lllloook, who is responsible for the Klinogn attack, and what exactly did he say?" he slurred as McCoy, the doctor and sidekick began scanning him.

What did that have to do with anything? "What?" Uhura said.

"Wast th' ship Rooommuulooon?" Kirk said.

"What?" she said not catching the garbled words.

"What's wrong wif my mouff," Kirk said.

"You got numb tongue?" said McCoy.

"Num tung!" shouted Kirk.

"I can fix that," said McCoy, retrieving something from his bag.

"Was the ship what?" Uhura asked.

"Rommmulan."

"Romulan," said Uhura.

Kirk nodded.

"Yes!" said Uhura. How had he pieced that together?

McCoy hit him with a hypo and he screamed. A moment later he was bolting from the room, shouting, "We have to shop the ship!"

Uhura looked around; all the communication officers' eyes were on her.

How did he know that it had been Romulans? She hadn't told that to Gaila. The uncomfortable butterflies in her stomach became a shaking mass of dread.

A Klingon armada was destroyed, and now Vulcan was completely cut off from the rest of the galaxy, she and a class full of inexperienced junior officers were on there way to rescue them - and the only person who seemed to "get" this extraordinary, dangerous coincidence besides her was Kirk.

She was at the door and didn't know how she'd gotten there. It was as if her legs had started running of their own accord. She was abandoning her post. Would she be considered AWOL? Maybe, if things went badly someone might hang that label on her. She knew one thing for certain and one thing only. For the first time in her life she wanted to be near Jim.

x x x x

The world in front of Patrick was bright, sunny, and green - and it was filled with red light and desert. The ground was stable, the grass underfoot was sweet, and it shook and smelled like debris - he felt like he was sucking on an old fashioned metal credit.

"I apologize," Novasch said, his arm heavy on Patrick's shoulder. "My familial bonds. I can no longer block them."

On the other side of Novasch, Toshi said nothing, just heaved a deep breath. Like Patrick he was probably just trying to put one foot in front of another.

And then Patrick watched as a roof collapsed on top of a little girl, and it was his own child being crushed - no, he was seeing through the eyes of Novasch's sister, T'Prella. It was _her_ child, but to be a parent and to see a child in pain was always to see your own.

"We are coming, we are coming," he heard himself say and willed her to hear. He _felt _rather than saw the woman look up. "Novasch, Novasch, Novasch," she seemed to say, but no, she wasn't speaking, only _feeling._ All her physical energy was going to her hands as she began to scratch through the rubble...because the child was still alive.

And then Patrick was running, and so was Toshi, dragging Novasch between them. The faces they passed were a blur.

They entered the command building and alarms went off. Patrick stood upright.

"Telepathic detectors," Toshi said.

Guards came running, phasers drawn.

"Vulcan is under attack," Patrick said, not even stopping. "We have to warn Admiral Barnett."

"Halt and identify," shouted the man raising his phaser at Novasch. Patrick felt heat rising behind his eyes, so hot it was almost blinding.

He could hear the man's blood rushing through his veins, could visualize exactly where the vagus nerve departed his medulla to innervate his heart and lungs, could _imagine _a misfire along its fibers bringing the man's vital systems to a stop.

Patrick swallowed...what?

_No, Novasch, no, they're just trying to do their jobs._

Had Patrick thought that, or had Toshi?

Patrick took a deep breath and the heat of the rage receded.

In its place there was knowledge.

The man leading the security team was Lieutenant Dan Carey. Patrick had never seen him before and he knew this. And he _was_ a good guy, and he _was _just trying to do his job. He was afraid of Novasch, afraid of being demoted, and afraid because...his girlfriend was on the _Farragut_ and he'd just been texting her and the transmission had been cut off. And the other men, Patrick eyed them, two humans, Tom and Jamal, and one Andorian with white skin, his eyes hidden behind strange glasses. His name was Matti.

And Patrick knew each of them had friends up there.

It was Novasch's knowledge. It took Patrick a moment to realize the Vulcan had no idea what to do with it.

"Snap out of it now, Dan!" Patrick shouted. "He's on our side. And if you want to save Natalie, or any of your friends again, you've got to let us get to the war room."

Novasch straightened. And then there was T'Prella, Novasch's sister, on hands and knees and he heard a child wailing. Novasch sagged a bit. Blinking, Patrick tried to clear his mind and see the hallway in front of him.

Dan lowered his gun, but it was Matti who picked up his comm, "We've got a gray guardsman down here. Vulcan is under attack. He's got a telepathic link open...I can see everything...Yes, I'm sure! Lieutenant Commander Patrick O'Hara and Professor Matsumura are with him."

Patrick didn't have time to wonder how Matti knew their names. Gesturing with his phaser, Matti said, "Come on!" and then broke off in a jog towards a bank of turbolifts.

Following him onto the industrial-sized lift, Patrick felt the little girl in his arms unconscious. No, in T'Prella's arms, and T'Prella was running. "Get to the shuttle, get to the shuttle!" Someone was shouting.

Patrick blinked; it was the guard named Jamal.

Patrick watched as T'Prella squeezed into the shuttle - there was only room for two, and then inexplicably left the craft.

Patrick's brain was screaming, "Flee, flee, flee!" No, the mind of everyone in the lift was screaming that.

Just outside of the shuttle was another Vulcan, a man, carrying a boy - older than the little girl. Patrick would have said he was eight or so.

"We will follow you in a few minutes," the man was saying. "You must watch over your sister."

Patrick's heart froze. He was lying.

"But how -"

Pulling the boy off the man, T'Prella said, "I will modify the hover for extra atmospheric travel. Obey your father, watch out for your sister."

Someone on the turbolift gasped. They were both lying. But Vulcans did not lie...

Strapping the little boy in the shuttle next to the unconscious little girl, T'Prella stepped out into Hell.

Moving back from the shuttle with the man she pulled a small device from her pocket. She hit some buttons on a screen and a light flashed. The man wrapped his arm around her.

The lift opened to the war room.

The ground shook. The man and the woman did not move. They just raised their eyes to the sky. Patrick felt heavy, as though he were being sucked into the center of the earth, as though the pressure in the atmosphere was too high to even inhale.

Everyone was staring at them. Admirals stood with mouths agape. Lights were flashing around Patrick.

And the world was ending.

"Brother, you have to contain yourself," he heard Matti say.

And then he felt like he was being crushed by two huge stones. Someone screamed, and everything was blackness, pain...then nothing.

Novasch slumped on Patrick's shoulders.

"What is the meaning of this?" Admiral Komak said, his tone both accusatory and confused.

"Vulcan is gone," gasped Toshi, staggering beneath the crumbling Novasch.

From around the room came hushed whispers.

"I know."

"Yes."

"I saw."

Not by natural disaster, by force. Force that could be used again.

"Get him a chair!" said Patrick, lugging Novasch forward. "He has information...and we could be next."

x x x x

**A/N:**

Blah. Another angsty chapter. Blah. Blah. Blah. If you enjoyed anyway, please let me know.


	27. The Stranger

**Disclaimer: I don't own. I don't profit.**

Special thanks to beta Notes from the Classroom. Check out her latest, "Twenty Four Hundred" in my faves.

**The Stranger**

"Acting Captain's log Stardate 2258.242. We have had no word from Captain Pike. I have therefore classified him as a hostage of the war criminal known as Nero. Nero who has destroyed my home planet and most of its 6 billion inhabitants.

"While the essence of our culture has been saved in the elders who now reside aboard this ship, I estimate that no more than 10,000 have survived. I am now a member of an endangered species."

At the conclusion of these words, Spock stood from the captain's chair and made his way to the turbolift. Putting down her receiver, Nyota followed him.

He did not say anything to her as she stepped in, nor did he move his hands from his sides, but his eyes slid in her direction, in the heavy, weighty way they often did. He could not communicate his feelings to her verbally, in private, much less in public - but his eyes...Nyota had once affectionately said he gave eye kisses. She was used to them conveying affection, passion, sometimes humor, but now - they were filled with something unfamiliar. It was not fear, or sorrow, or grief. It was something else...anger, no _rage_. And _distance_...from her, from the crew, from everything. It struck her his hands were behind his back because if they weren't he would lash out. At anything, anyone.

Her lover, and the acting captain on the vessel on which she served, had been replaced by a stranger, and it was terrifying.

For a moment she did not move. And then an idea unfurled in her mind - or maybe it was her heart. She would not be afraid, not of him. As soon as she made this decision, she felt lighter. And she knew what to do.

Reaching across the lift, she hit the stop button. He did not interrupt her. His eyes slid to gaze at a spot on the door.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm sorry." She smoothed her hands over his chest. Her Spock was in there, she knew it. His hands stayed pinned behind his back, and he said nothing. She moved her hands to his face. If he would not form an empathic link with her, she would form one with him. "I'm so sorry," she said and she willed him to _feel_ the sincerity behind the words...to feel life, to feel her.

He was not alone. And no matter who he was at that moment, whatever he felt, she still loved him. Heaven knew he was entitled to anything he was feeling. She kissed his cheek, then brought her cheek to his and threaded her fingers through the fine short hairs at the nape of his neck.

Without making a sound, he moved a hand to her shoulder, another to her hip. Pulling her tight, his head fell to her shoulder.

For a moment he was there again, Spock, her Spock...no, _their_ Spock. They all needed him now.

"What do you need? What do you need?" she whispered, because more than _this_ moment she did not know.

He straightened.

Cradling his face in her hands, she pulled back.

Spock hit the resume course button.

He met her gaze, and his eyes were steady, but when he spoke, his voice cracked ever so slightly and it nearly brought tears to her eyes.

"I need everyone to continue performing admirably,"

It was a compliment. And a plea. Tilting her head, Nyota nodded. Of course. What choice did they have now? "Okay," she whispered. "Okay."

She kissed him then. She half expected him not to respond, but he did. Tenderly, and almost timidly, as though he were holding something at bay.

x x x x

In the darkened war room on Earth a red warning light started to flash; from a console came a desperate beeping.

"The fleet sent on the rescue mission to Vulcan has vanished," someone, a lieutenant at a comm station, said.

"Vulcan has been attacked," Toshi said again as Patrick maneuvered Novasch into a chair. The Vulcan's eyes were open, his face was blank, expressionless. Patrick had an awful gnawing sensation at the pit of his stomach, whether for Vulcan, T'Quilloc, Novasch, or Earth he couldn't say.

Patrick shook his head as it filled with images of T'Quilloc's last minutes. Fire, pain - and a black tear in the fabric of reality itself.

He sensed rather than felt the Andorian Matti slide up beside him.

"That's impossible," said Admiral Komack. "No one has that sort of fire power."

"No one from this time," said Patrick, eyes widening and going to Novasch. He could see...remember...T'Quilloc's interrogation of Rhinnea as though he'd been there.

"What?" said Admiral Barnett.

Patrick looked up, mouth open.

"The Vulcan wants the human to speak for him," said Matti. "Let him."

The room was silent for a moment.

"Proceed," said Barnett.

Everything poured out of Patrick. The realization that Golarth, the Klingon they'd all scoffed at, had been right. The discovery of the Romulan sphere, the hunt for Rhin and Dr. Kurniadi - here Patrick had to grab hold of the back of Novasch's chair to steady himself. The memory of Rhin's imprisonment made him tremble. He noticed Toshi steadying himself too, and felt Matti's hand on his shoulder.

...and then T'Quilloc's discovery that Vulcan was Nero's ultimate target...

"And how is it that we're only learning of this now?" Komack demanded.

Looking up, Patrick caught sight of a high ranking Starfleet Intelligence officer across the room. He _knew._ He knew about Bonneville...and he had extracted details about Rhin from him, but he had locked up the double agent. Patrick blinked. No one had believed Bonneville. Of course, but...

Patrick felt himself go hot. He had that sensation he'd had when they'd first confronted security downstairs, of knowing exactly where the nerves were that sparked the SI agent's lungs and heart. Clenching the back of Novasch's chair, Patrick hissed, "You would not let Novasch interrogate Simeone Bonneville...Rhinnea told him everything. Told _us_ everything, but you chose to ignore it!"

The SI officer swallowed...so did Komack.

"If we could capture and detain this Rhinnea, we might be able to extract technological information that could give us an advantage against Nero...and all the other species in the galaxy," said the SI agent..

Patrick's mouth dropped. The man's voice dripped malevolence. No, more than that, complete lack of feeling for Rhinnea as a sentient being. The words 'detain' and 'extract' were mere shadows of the ideas he had in mind.

Around the room he felt a flurry of emotions bombarding him. Interest. Queasiness - most sharply from Admiral Barnett. Disbelief at SI's boldness from Komack. And _fear_, everywhere.

Patrick remembered T'Quilloc staring down at Rhin on the _Equus_ thinking, _she deserves some peace_. His jaw got tight. Novasch shook his head, and Patrick felt the the hot prick of tears behind his eyes. Novasch couldn't let Rhin be captured and abused again...it wasn't logic...it was Novasch's last gift to his wife.

Straightening, Patrick said, "She was not a collaborator with Nero. You have no grounds to hold her against her will."

"It would be a shame," said Toshi, "if the public were to learn of her capture and torture at the hands of Starfleet." Putting his hand behind his back he bowed slightly. "Such a shame, neh? Very bad for morale."

The SI's eyes went to Toshi and then to Novasch, and Patrick could feel the fury there. Toshi had taken on Starfleet before on principle, not out of quest for personal gain. He'd probably saved the Federation from sabotage - but he'd also knocked out all the non-critical functions of Starfleet's main computer for days...Hence his position as tenured professor, not officer.

...and he was prepared to do it again. For principle. You had to love a guy like that.

Patrick bit back a smile and saw Admiral Barnett do the same, giving Toshi a barely perceivable nod.

"Enough of this. We can't afford to argue amongst ourselves," said Komack. "What can we do against this Nero now?"

Speaking for the first time, Novasch said, "Nothing."

The room went quiet except for the beep of computers - Patrick hadn't noticed the background whispers and the faint shuffling sounds until that moment.

"Hope he does not come to Earth," Novasch added.

Patrick swallowed.

"Of course," said Novasch, "hope is illogical."

x x x x

Walking by Nyota's station, eyes focused somewhere in the distance, Spock said. "Have you confirmed that Nero is headed for Earth?" His hands were clasped neatly, and tightly, in front of him.

"Their trajectory suggests no other destination," said Nyota.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," said Spock.

"Earth may be his next stop," said Kirk, sprawled in the Captain's chair. "But we have to assume every federation planet is a target."

The hairs on the back of Nyota's neck rose at Kirk's impertinence at sitting in the captain's seat. Didn't anyone see how close Spock was to lashing out. But of course they didn't see. Biting her lip and holding her breath she waited for the explosion, but Spock merely said, "Out of the chair," in a light voice.

Rolling his eyes heavenward, as if he were obliging something unreasonable, Kirk got up. Nyota glared at him. Of course he didn't notice. Being right about the Romulan attack, and neutralizing the drill was not doing anything to quell the fires of his colossal ego.

"But if the Federation is the target, why not destroy us?" said Chekov.

"Why would he? Why waste a weapon? We obviously weren't a threat," Sulu said, an edge of bitterness in his voice.

"That is not it," said Spock, raising a finger. Carefully clasping his hands behind his back he said, "He said there was something he wanted me to see, the destruction of my home planet."

"How the Hell did he do that, by the way?" said McCoy. "How do the Romulans get that kind of weapon?"

"The engineering necessary to artificially create a black hole may suggest an answer," said Spock. "Such technology could theoretically be used to create a tunnel through space time."

"Dammit, man, I'm a doctor, not a physicist. Are you actually suggesting they're from the future," said McCoy, his voice loud. Nyota prickled at his agitation; it wasn't helping anyone.

"If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth," said Spock raising an eyebrow.

"How poetic," said McCoy.

Leaning against a railing, Kirk said, "But what would an angry, future Romulan want with Captain Pike?"

"As Captain he does know details of Starfleet's defenses," said Sulu.

Stepping forward, Kirk said, "What we need to do is catch up with that ship, disable it, take it over, and get Pike back."

Nyota swallowed. It sounded brave, daring...and stupid. But the Spock that she'd seen in the turbolift, before she'd reached out to him - if _that_ Spock had his way...

"We are technologically outmatched in every way; a rescue attempt would be illogical," said Spock and Nyota let out a breath.

"Nero's ship would have to drop out of warp for us to overtake it," said Chekov.

Shaking his head and waving his hands, Kirk said, "But what about assigning engineering crews to boost our warp yield."

Nyota resisted the urge to snort. Had he read the damage reports?

Tilting his head, Spock said, "Engineering crews are currently repairing radiation leaks to lower decks and restoring subspace communications without which..."

"There's got to be some way," said Kirk striding down the bridge to stand in front of Spock.

"...we cannot contact Starfleet," said Spock meeting his gaze. "We must gather with the rest of Starfleet to balance the terms of the next engagement."

"There won't be a next engagement," said Kirk. "By the time we gather it will be too late."

Spock said nothing. Nyota found herself holding her breath again. It would be too late for Earth. Part of her wanted Spock to give in to Kirk, as illogical as his suggestion was. To rendezvous in the Lorentian System, to _escape_, even temporarily while Earth was destroyed...She sucked in a breath and willed herself not to think of home.

"You say he's from the future," said Kirk. "Knows what's going to happen, then the _logical_ thing is to be unpredictable."

Stepping forward Spock said, "You are assuming that Nero knows how events are going to unfold. To the contrary, Nero's very presence has altered the flow of history, beginning with the destruction of the U.S.S. Kelvin, culminating in the events of today, thereby creating a chain of new incidents that cannot be anticipated by either party."

"An alternate reality," said Nyota, stepping down the bridge.

Nodding at her, then turning back to Kirk, Spock said, "Precisely."

Walking away from Kirk, Spock said, "What ever our lives would have been, if the time continuum was disrupted our destinies have changed."

Sitting down in the captain's chair, Spock said, "Mr. Sulu, plot a course to the Laurentian System, warp factor 3."

Running towards him, Kirk said, "Spock, don't do that. Running back to the rest of the fleet for a confab -"

"These are the orders-" Spock said.

"Is a massive waste of time -"

"Issued by Captain Pike," Spock finished.

"He also ordered us to go back and get him! Spock, you are captain now. You have to make -"

"I am aware of my responsibilities, Mr. Kirk," Spock said and Nyota flinched. He did indeed.

Kirk shouted over him. "Every second we waste, Nero's getting closer to his next target!"

"That is correct," said Spock. "And why I am instructing you to accept the fact that I alone -"

"I will not allow us to go backwards!"

"Jim!" shouted McCoy.

"-am in charge of this ship."

"Or run from the problem instead of hunting Nero down!"

Standing from his chair, Spock said, "Security, escort him out."

Two guards took Kirk's arms and led him down the bridge. Pulling an arm out from one of their grasps, Kirk spun backwards and decked him.

"Enough, Jim!" shouted McCoy.

Elbowing the other security officer in the jaw, Kirk took on a third who came to restrain him. Which was when Spock, as silently as a cat, slid forward and applied a Vulcan nerve pinch. He did it so calmly it was eerie. For a moment, Nyota thought he'd conquered the rage she'd seen in him just minutes before. And then Spock said in an icy voice, "Get him off this ship."

And Nyota knew that the rage was still there, seething beneath the surface.

x x x x

Rhinnea stared down at the stolen human weapon at Dr. Kurniadi, with Sarah in the escape pod.

"We only want to help you," said the doctor. "Starfleet will..."

"No. No. No more of Starfleet human!" Rhin screamed. "Into the pod!"

...because she couldn't trust them, even if they had saved her. They were human, and Simeone had demonstrated that every negative stereotype about humans was true. Worse, they were Starfleet, Starfleet that professed to be above torture.

But Simeone...he wasn't _really_ with Starfleet, was he?

She shook herself. She couldn't trust them. She couldn't live through _that _again. The most likely explanation was they wanted something. Maybe the knowledge of technological innovations she possessed.

She swallowed. She should kill them. But she couldn't. It didn't make sense. It just was. Closing the pod door, she launched it into space.

She stole their shuttle, badly damaged in a final firefight with Simeone's cruiser, and promptly crash landed on a planet in the neutral zone not on the Starfleet charts, or in her memory either. Within a few months she guessed why. It was in its death throes - or at least the delicate balance that made it habitable was about to be tipped.

At least she wouldn't give Simeone the pleasure of dying by his hands.

Volcanoes on the planet were spewing poison into the atmosphere. Each time she closed her eyes at night she wondered if she would wake up. Her lungs, and throat and eyes had become so raw...

One night she closed her eyes...and woke to the sound of Romulan.

"_Are you alright?"_

She had to be dead at last. Finally, really free.

"_Are you alright?"_

Rhinnea's eyes opened. And she blinked. She was on Jabari's ship. In his bed. Again. But this wasn't like that first time so many years ago. Her lungs weren't recovering from the acid bombardment of volcano dust. She only had a slight ache in her head.

And Jabari was leaning over her this time, not sitting in a distant chair. And that was good. It felt right, and created a soft hum in her body she hadn't experienced - since...since...the last time they _kissed_. That was the human word for it, wasn't it?

The warm rich brown of his skin contrasted sharply with the white and steel of the room. A cool hand went to her cheek and brushed away a loose strand of hair.

Swallowing, he said, "I am so sorry. I didn't know what else to do."

"What else to do?" whispered Rhin.

"The Gray Guard, I let them aboard. You had a hematoma and the warp coils were down, we were stranded..."

Rhin blinked. Looked around. She heard the soft whir of the warp coils in the background now. They sounded beautiful - but they were not in transport mode, they were only powering the ship. The bed was warm. The gravity was on. They must be docked somewhere.

Jabari looked down. "They fixed the warp coils...I don't know why..."

And then it slowly dawned on her. The visions she'd had in her slumber, they'd been so real. So precise. The Guard had induced them. But...

"They are not here now," she said. She knew it somehow.

Jabari shook his head. "No, they're gone."

Rhin nodded. "Yes. Yes. You see, they realized I already told the Federation agent everything."

Jabari swallowed. "You are not angry. I didn't know if it was the right thing..."

Rhin tilted her head. She was not angry. "You are not dead," she said. Moving a hand out from beneath the covers she found his own and smiled.

Letting his forehead fall on hers, he closed his eyes, and said. "No. Not by a long shot."

The engine was purring. She was warm. She wasn't afraid. And she was...happy.

Stroking his fingers, Rhin whispered, "Everything is perfect."

**A/N:**

'Cause this story needed a happy note at last. Did it work, the juxtoposition of the macro sh!+ going down and the personal happiness?

Oh, and if you're looking for something else with more humor, but just as much pathos please have a look at "Logical Propositions" for some Kirk/T'Pring goodness. (Yes, Kirk/T'Pring).

If you read...please review. It's the only way fanfic authors get paid.


End file.
